Paediatric surgery and COVID-19: urgent lessons to be learned

Area of Science:

• Paediatric Surgery
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Healthcare Systems Management

Background:

• The rapid spread of COVID-19 in early 2020 outpaced scientific data dissemination.
• Surgeons in Italy and the UK shared critical care demands and lessons learned via technology.
• Paediatric surgery challenges during the pandemic were under-reported in existing literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a framework for safe paediatric patient assessment and treatment during health emergencies.
• To reduce contamination risks through a systemic approach.
• To adapt emergency response practices for paediatric surgery within a recognized safety framework.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing emergency response processes and best practices from Italy and the UK.
• Adapting these practices within the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework.
• Utilizing a human factors and ergonomics (HFE) perspective to analyze and reorganize services.

Main Results:

• Identification of key good practices and recommendations for paediatric surgical scenarios during the COVID-19 emergency.
• Consolidation of lessons learned from frontline experiences and limited existing literature.
• Development of impromptu, unrehearsed responses by surgical teams.

Conclusions:

• Urgent, frontline lessons from the COVID-19 emergency require consolidation for future preparedness.
• A multidisciplinary risk assessment of new clinical pathways is essential for future phases.
• Proactive preparation necessitates adopting the SEIPS model and integrating HFE principles with all surgical teams.