Crisis clinical pathway for COVID-19.

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted New York City, overwhelming emergency departments (EDs).
• Limited attention was given to the resource demands of non-critically ill patients presenting to the ED.
• New York-Presbyterian Hospital experienced a rapid surge in COVID-19 patients in March 2020.

Discussion:

• A cross-campus ED physician working group developed a "crisis clinical pathway."
• The pathway aimed to guide clinicians in resource allocation during the public health crisis.
• Focus was placed on clinical evaluation for medical decision-making.

Key Insights:

• Developed a novel care pathway for managing surges of undiagnosed respiratory illness.
• Ensured equitable and effective allocation of healthcare resources.
• Prioritized clinical assessment for decision-making in a resource-limited environment.

Outlook:

• This model can be adapted by other healthcare systems facing similar public health crises.
• Further research into pre-critical care pathway optimization is warranted.
• The pathway demonstrated effective resource management for non-critically ill patients.