A Global Survey of Emergency Department Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic (original) (raw)
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Reorganising the emergency department to manage the COVID-19 outbreak
International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2020
Background The COVID-19 disease outbreak that first surfaced in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has taken the world by storm and ravaged almost every country in the world. Emergency departments (ED) in hospitals are on the frontlines, serving an essential function in identifying these patients, isolating them early whilst providing urgent medical care. This outbreak has reinforced the role of Emergency Medicine in public health. This paper documents the challenges faced and measures taken by a tertiary hospital’s ED in Singapore, in response to the outbreak. Main body The ED detected the first case of COVID-19 in Singapore on 22 January 2020 in a Chinese tourist and also the first case of locally transmitted COVID-19 on 3 February 2020. The patient journeys through the patient reception area in the ED and undergoes fever screening before being shunted to isolation areas within the ED. Management and disposition of suspect COVID-19 patients are guided by a close-knit collaboration be...
Frontiers in Public Health, 2021
Background: The outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by a novel coronavirus (named SARS-CoV-2) has gained attention globally and has been recognized as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the rapidly increasing number of deaths and confirmed cases. Health care workers (HCWs) are vulnerable to this crisis as they are the first frontline to receive and manage COVID-19 patients. In this multicenter multinational survey, we aim to assess the level of awareness and preparedness of hospital staff regarding COVID-19 all over the world.Methods: From February to March 2020, the web-based or paper-based survey to gather information about the hospital staff's awareness and preparedness in the participants' countries will be carried out using a structured questionnaire based on the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) checklist and delivered to participants by the local collaborat...
Maximizing the Role of Emergency Medical Services in COVID-19 Response
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define six intervals of a pandemic: (1) investigation of cases, (2) recognition of the increased potential for ongoing transmission, (3) initiation of a pandemic wave, (4) acceleration of a pandemic wave, (5) deceleration of a pandemic wave and (6) preparation for future pandemic waves. Each of these stages has eight domains. Following China’s COVID-19 outbreak announcement, Israel’s National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Organization immediately began working in conjunction with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to address the threat of the COVID-19 outbreak. This article will describe how a national EMS organization acted according to these pandemic intervals and domains. In the initial stages, EMS managed a checkpoint in the international airport voluntarily testing people for febrile symptoms. Calls to the dispatch centers that aroused the suspicion of COVID-19 resulted in EMS transport to the hospital with protective gear. During the...
COVID-19 Pandemic: Management emergencies response and lesson learned from the Globe
WHO released the COVID-19 Pandemic that hit at least 223 countries and territories and global confirmed cases reached nearly 103,631,793 people and 2.17% of them died. Countries such as China, America, Europe, Belgium, Taiwan and Brunei Darussalam, have made various ways and efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be taken as potential practices and lessons. This literature review aims to investigate best practices that can be learned in emergency response and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic from various global countries that can be taken as learning and common good. This study method is a literature review, by accessing several peer-reviewed literature articles between 2020 and 2021 related to emergency response and lessons learned of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Based on the literature review that has been analysed, practices and lessons learned in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic can be identified, including: extensive public health infrastructure, establishment of temporary hospitals, effective isolation methods, increased social distancing, surveillance systems with digital technology, community involvement, and lock-down as a last alternative to inhibit the spread, as well as a crisis management approach from an Islamic perspective. It can be concluded that emergency response in decision making and policy is a very influential factor in the success of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open, 2020
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has placed large stressors on emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. As the pandemic progressed, EDs faced changing patient epidemiology and numbers. Our ED needed to rapidly transform to deal with the risk of COVID‐19. Having limited floor space, we opted for a phased, dynamic response that allowed us to adapt the ED multiple times as the epidemiology of the pandemic evolved. The principles behind our response include guiding ED operations with data, enhancing infection control practices, and being prepared to transform areas of the ED to care for different groups of patients. Our experience can serve to guide other EDs in planning their response to surge capacity and ED operations during such pandemics.
Novel COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Global Health Care Providers
World Family Medicine, 2021
Background: Covid-19, a highly infectious disease was first reported in Wuhan China on 31 December, 2019 It was declared a pandemic by World Health Organization on 11 March, 2020 when 118,326 cases were reported globally The present study was designed to determine the knowledge, practices, availability of personal protective equipment to health care providers and hindrance to delivering health care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted with 217 health care workers serving in different hospitals/departments across the globe Sample size was calculated by using Open EPI software and data was analysed by using SPSS version 22 0 Results: Knowledge of many 152(73 4%) participants regarding guidelines for isolation of suspected cases and recommendations for wearing a mask in a community setting was not satisfactory About 51(24 63%) did not receive any personal protective equipment Inadequate provision of personal protective equip...
Health and Research Journal, 2023
Background: The healthcare professionals have had to adapt their current practices and implement new strategies, to ensure a safe patient care environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, their training in the new conditions of the pandemic has been challenging. Aim: The aim of this short review is to provide a brief record of the experiences and challenges faced by healthcare professionals and how these can constitute lessons for a new health crisis. Method and Material: We conducted literature research in two electronic databases for the period from 2020 to 2022, using keywords. The collected material was classified based on the objectives set. A selection of literature sources was made, followed by a review with the creation of note cards. Results: The review of the selected sources reveals challenges in the practice of healthcare professionals, the continuation of professional development and research activities, as well as the adoption of digital technologies and tools for communication, information and training. The lack of experience of healthcare professionals from a previous pandemic crisis and the delay in the digital transformation of healthcare are some of the obstacles, which can become lessons for the preparedness of the healthcare systems towards a new health crisis. Conclusions: The findings highlight the essential role of a well-trained and well-informed healthcare workforce, to adequately face a health crisis. The analysis of these findings can contribute to the detection and identification of emerging needs of healthcare professionals, allowing policymakers to implement effective interventions for the continuing development of the workforce.