Checklist for emergency department team’s COVID-19 surge

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges to many health care systems across the globe. With limited science to guide staff and structure surge response, authors Matteo Paganini, Andrea Conti, Eric Weinstein, Francesco della Corte and Luca Ragazzoni from the Research Center in Emergency and Disaster Medicine (CRIMEDIM), Università del Piemonte Orientale in Novara, Italy reviewed the available surge literature and using a translational science approach posed the question “How does the concept of sudden onset mass casualty incident (MCI) surge capability apply to the process to expand COVID-19 response?

After reviewing the on-line ahead of print and print COVID-19 scientific publications, as well as grey literature, a checklist was created to guide the Emergency Department team’s COVID-19 surge structural response in the Novara hospital.

According to Dr Paganini “Preparedness is crucial for the resilience of healthcare systems. This pandemic has found us unprepared. We have to translate disaster medicine theory into practice, reconfiguring our Emergency Departments to meet the surge of patients. These guidelines can help the hospital team meet this demand.”

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About the Journal

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness is the first comprehensive and authoritative journal emphasizing public health preparedness and disaster response for all health care and public health professionals globally. The journal seeks to translate science into practice and integrate medical and public health perspectives. DMPHP is an official journal of the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. and is produced by Cambridge University Press.

About the Society

The Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. aims to evolve a discipline around disaster medicine and public health. The society’s goal is to improve global health security, with the involvement and development of global health professionals and others who are involved in responding to and or managing significant events. The mission of the SDMPH is to advance and promote excellence in education, training and research in disaster medicine and public health for all potential health system responders based on sound educational principles, scientific evidence and best clinical and public health practices.