After the initial COVID-19 surge: a phased radiology departmental re-opening plan
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COMMENTARY
After the initial COVID-19 surge: a phased radiology departmental re-opening plan Victor J. Seghers 1,2 & Nilesh K. Desai 1,2 & Prakash M. Masand 1,2 & Sadia Nasir 1 & Traci L. Foster 1 & Dennis A. Indiero 1 & Trent D. Johnson 1 & Thierry A. G. M. Huisman 1,2 Received: 22 May 2020 / Revised: 5 July 2020 / Accepted: 4 August 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a rapid and unprecedented impact upon global health and health care operations [1–3]. In the initial phase of the outbreak, a significant ramping down of nonessential medical care was necessary to prepare hospitals for the forecasted surge in COVID-19 patients. Simultaneously, the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, had to be contained and slowed (“flattening of the curve”). Social distancing, stay home/work safe orders, protective measures for vulnerable individuals (e.g., immunocompromised patients), masking protocols, visitation policies, testing and many more measures resulted in an accelerated but necessary ramping down of elective hospital services [4–9]. All medical specialties, including radiology, were affected. In the last months, many radiology departments experienced a 50–70% decrease in imaging studies [10]. In addition to its impact on mortality and human suffering, COVID-19’s economic impact upon hospital operations has been significant. But what happens when the initial critical phase of the COVID-19 outbreak has passed? Hospital operations must be ramped up again to care for patients whose treatments have been postponed. Unfortunately, a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is not expected in the near future and an effective treatment is not yet available [11, 12]. Social distancing and masking policies are expected to persist to contain
* Victor J. Seghers [email protected] 1
Edward B. Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital, 6701 Fannin St., Suite 470, Houston, TX 77030, USA
2
Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
and slow repeat surges of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Consequently, we must break from the past and accept a new normal in our health care approach. The reopening of a safe radiology service requires a carefully designed plan with creative solutions and lays the foundation for an updated imaging department that incorporates many of the changes implemented during the pandemic. In this manuscript, we present insights for how to design and execute a phased reopening of a radiology department after the pandemic outbreak becomes contained.
Leadership, organization and communication A successful plan should follow a concept of Five Cs, which refers to communication, coordination, collaboration, creativity and concentration of resources. Each plan must have well-defined short-, medium- and long-term goals; collect objective metrics for success; and be summarized in a living document that is available to all key players and is
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