With the surge in COVID-19 cases in many states, many hospitals who were spared the first wave of the pandemic are now under significant pressure to meet the rising demand for care. In an effort to help, below is a list of various COVID related resources we at Surgical Directions have created since the beginning of the pandemic. From managing the immediate crisis to picking up the pieces afterwards, we hit on a wide range of topics.
We are standing by to assist you and your facility in any way we can. Please do not hesitate to contact me personally at lbasham@surgicaldirections.com if I can be of assistance.
1. One Hospital’s Response to a COVID-19 Exposure in its Operating Room
By: Dr. Thomas Blasco
With the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S., hospitals are having to adjust rapidly to managing the expected increase in COVID-19 admissions as well as protecting its staff and clinicians from viral transmission. This blog demonstrates the approach Surgical Directions took during the rise of COVID-19 in the U.S. all while onsite in the middle of a typical large-scale hospital surgical services performance improvement effort. From surgeons testing positive for COVID-19 and daily policy updates from state and local authorities, this blog will provide suggestions on how to approach COVID-19 in your facility.
2. The Ambulatory Surgery Center’s Important Role in Assisting Hospitals During the COVID-19 Crisis
By: Dr. Thomas Blasco and co-authored by Avanza Healthcare Strategies
In this blog, Dr. Thomas Blasco of Surgical Directions and Avanza Healthcare Strategies mentions and recommends the importance of suspending elective surgeries and how to use outpatient facilities to help free up essential supplies either directly to hospitals or to state and local healthcare organizations that can coordinate distribution.
3. Enhance Your Ability to Save COVID-19 Patient Lives: Guidelines for Converting Anesthesia Machines to ICU Ventilators
By: John Buzzelli
COVID-19 pandemic has challenged hospitals and clinicians tremendously. This blog describes one of the most worrisome shortages which was the lack of available mechanical ventilators for patients in acute respiratory distress because of COVID-19 infection. Without these machines, the ability to manage severe cases and perhaps save those patient lives is significantly compromised. Surgical Directions provides a step-by-step user guide for converting anesthesia machines to ICU ventilators.
4. The Journey Back Begins Now: Financially Recovering Your Hospital / ASC from COVID-19
By: Surgical Directions
Surgical Directions has developed Rapid Response Teams to help hospitals, ASCs, and physician groups apply for funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund and develop plans to meet the post COVID-19 surge in surgical volume.
5. What Will ‘Normal’ Procedural Care Look Like After The COVID-19 Crisis?
By: Dr. Thomas
Even after a worldwide COVID-19 vaccine is developed, or an effective treatment following exposure is discovered, the pandemic will very likely have a lasting effect on behavior and social interaction. Additionally, the abrupt and nearly complete disruption of the United States economy will have a persistent effect on all aspects of the healthcare system. There is opportunity for hospitals as longs as they adapt to the trends. In this blog, Surgical Directions maps out a few trends to help your facility stay afloat.
6. Confronting Challenges to Bring Back Elective Surgery
Dr. Thomas Blasco
This blog will provide notes on how to navigate the many challenges of bringing back elective surgeries. The “Joint Statement: Roadmap for Resuming Elective Surgery after COVID-19 Pandemic” is an excellent guide for returning the elective patient to your operating room. Complementing this document, Surgical Directions has a number of recommendations for implementing a “COVID-safe” return of elective surgery to your operating room.
7. Bring Back Elective Surgery, Part 2: Day of Surgery through Patient Discharge
By: Josh Miller
This blog will describe key patient management strategies to keep both your patients and providers COVID safe through the procedure and into the recovery period.
8. Pregnancy and Labor During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Solutions
By: Barb McClenathan
This blog will discuss what problems does COVID-19 present for pregnant women, especially in hotspots.
9. Quickly and Safely Rebuild Your Procedural Case Volume: Introducing the Post-COVID Readiness Protocol Checklist
By: Lee Hedman
As the Governors of each state decided to allow elective surgeries to begin, providers face the dilemma that the case backlog may take months to clear. To help manage the backlog while easing patient and staff fears about safety, Surgical Directions developed a readiness protocol checklist. The is needed to resume elective procedures post COVID-19.
10. How About the Elective Non-Operating Room Anesthesia (NORA) Procedures? Are the NORA Post COVID rules different than the OR?
By: Josh Miller
There has been a virtual standstill of elective OR surgery as well as procedures in endoscopy, cardiology, and interventional radiology suites. As COVID-19 brought on new challenges daily, Hospitals and ASCs developed intricate plans and checklists for resumption of elective surgeries. This blog describes the many approaches for elective procedures not requiring the OR.
11. Has COVID-19 changed best practices in Sterile Processing Departments?
By: Marc Finch and Kelly Mathis
During this difficult time of COVID-19 one of the leading questions is “What can be done to ensure we have safe, clean and COVID-19 free instruments and equipment from our Sterile Processing departments”? Current guidelines set by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) outline sterilization practices that address all pathogens. Surgical Directions provides few notes to help move your Sterile Processing Departments forward during COVID-19.
12. Is it Time to Update Your Surgical System Master Procedure File and Preference Cards Databases?
By: John Buzzelli
While COVID-19 is still happening, hospitals should begin preparing their facilities for a post COVID-19 environment. In this blog, Surgical Directions recommends questions you should be asking your IT department to see if your databases procedure files and preference cards database are update.
