Abstract
Singapore’s hospitals had prepared to receive patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), planning various scenarios and levels of surge with a policy of isolating all confirmed cases as inpatients. The National University Hospital adopted a whole of hospital approach to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with 3 primary goals: zero hospital-acquired COVID-19, all patients receive timely necessary care, and maintenance of staff morale. These goals to date have been met. A large influx of COVID-19 cases required significant transformation of clinical and operational processes. Isolation room numbers almost tripled and dedicated COVID-19 cohort wards were established, elective care was postponed, and intensive care units were augmented with equipment and manpower. In the wake of the surge, establishing a new normal for hospital care requires maintaining vigilance to detect endemic COVID-19, establishing contingency plans to ramp up in case of another surge, while returning to business as usual.
Keywords: COVID-19; academic medical center; establishing a new normal; surge capacity; whole of hospital.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, academic medical center, establishing a new normal, surge capacity, whole of hospital., 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, Coronavirus disease 2019, coronavirus, equipment, hospital, intensive care unit, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, Policy, intensive care units, Patient, Singapore, hospital care, university, Care, Endemic, maintenance, Inpatients, confirmed case, acute respiratory syndrome, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, COVID-19 case, Vigilance, wake, COVID-19 cohort, business, approach, detect, required, adopted, receive, 【제목키워드】 normal, New, Establishing,