Applying the Plan-Do-Study-Act Approach to Support Healthcare Facilities in the Early COVID-19 Pandemic Response

The identification of a novel respiratory pathogen in late December 2019 and the escalation in the number of infections in January 2020 required healthcare facilities to rapidly assess their planning and preparations to identify and manage suspected or confirmed cases. As a Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center, many of the policies, resources, and tools Massachusetts General Hospital had developed before the COVID-19 pandemic were based on the Identify-Isolate-Inform concept to enable rapid identification of persons under investigation; isolation from other patients, visitors, and staff; and appropriate information sharing with internal and external parties to ensure continued safety of the facility and community. Our team sought to leverage these existing resources to support other healthcare facilities and implemented a modified Plan-Do-Study-Act approach to develop, refine, and disseminate a novel coronavirus toolkit. The toolkit underwent 3 Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles resulting in revisions of specific products, and the addition of new products to the toolkit. The toolkit provided access to templated algorithms, policies and procedures, signage, and educational materials, which could be customized for local needs and implemented immediately. There was broad dissemination and use of the resources provided in the toolkit and response to end-user feedback was provided in subsequent revisions. This project demonstrates the role that Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Centers can play in supporting the sharing of resources and best practices, and the utility of a Plan-Do-Study-Act approach in meeting needs.