Laboratory Surge Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Incident Command System Approach.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for robust diagnostic capabilities during outbreaks.
• Taiwan experienced a surge in demand for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests during the May 2021 wave.
• Existing healthcare systems faced challenges in meeting rapidly escalating testing needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) in managing increased SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing.
• To assess the impact of HEICS implementation on SARS-CoV-2 PCR test turnaround times.
• To determine the role of HEICS in enhancing healthcare system surge capacity during public health emergencies.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a system-wide emergency preparedness plan, HEICS, to manage healthcare emergencies.
• Acquisition of a high-throughput PCR machine to increase SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing capacity.
• Daily review of COVID-19 events by the incident commander and management of staff scheduling and training by the Department of Operations.

Main Results:

• A 19.4-fold increase in SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostic tests was observed during the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Turnaround times for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests were significantly reduced from 21.2 hours to 5.8 hours within the second week of the outbreak.
• The HEICS framework facilitated the integration of resources to meet the surge in demand for diagnostic testing.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of HEICS proved effective in managing a substantial increase in SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing.
• HEICS integration of resources is crucial for expanding surge capacity in healthcare systems during future outbreaks.
• Rapid adaptation and resource allocation are key to successful outbreak response and diagnostic management.