Background The rapid emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic globally collapsed health care organizations worldwide. Incomplete knowledge of best practices, progression of disease, and its impact could result in fallible care. Data on symptoms and advancement of the SARS-CoV-2 virus leading to critical care admission have not been captured or communicated well between international organizations experiencing the same impact from the virus. This led to the expedited need for establishing international communication and data collection on the critical care patients admitted with COVID-19. Objective Developing a global registry to collect patient data in the critical care setting was imperative with the goal of analyzing and ameliorating outcomes. Methods A prospective, observational global registry database was put together to record extensive deidentified clinical information for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Results Project management was crucial for prompt implementation of the registry for synchronization, improving efficiency, increasing innovation, and fostering global collaboration for valuable data collection. The Society of Critical Care Medicine Discovery VIRUS (Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study): COVID-19 Registry would compile data for crucial longitudinal outcomes for disease, treatment, and research. The agile project management approach expedited establishing the registry in 15 days and submission of institutional review board agreement for 250 participating sites. There has been enrollment of sites every month with a total of 306 sites from 28 countries and 64,114 patients enrolled (as of June 7, 2021). Conclusions This protocol addresses project management lessons in a time of crises which can be a precept for rapid project management for a large-scale health care data registry. We aim to discuss the approach and methodology for establishing the registry, the challenges faced, and the factors contributing to successful outcomes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04323787; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04323787

UNSTRUCTURED The COVID-19 pandemic emerged globally in a rapid and precipitous manner devastating healthcare organizations worldwide. The progression of the illness, the impact to the vulnerable and best care for the hospitalized patient, is undefined. Incomplete knowledge of best practices by frontline health care providers may result in error-prone care. Data on symptoms and advancement of the SARS-CoV-2 virus leading to critical care admission has not been captured or communicated well between international organizations experiencing the same impact from the virus. As the SARS-CoV-2 virus quickly reached every country, it was recognized that global communication and data collection on the critical care patients admitted with COVID-19 needed to be rapidly put in place. Developing a global registry to collect patient data and treatment in the critical care setting was of utmost priority with the goal to minimize preventable death, disability, and costly complications for patients with COVID-19. Project management around the prompt implementation of the registry is crucial. Valuable information could be lost daily without a format to record data and the opportunity to share significant findings. Putting the VIRUS: COVID-19 Registry in place could change patient outcomes by gaining insight to progression of symptoms and treatments worldwide. This article addresses project management lessons in a time of crises outlining the methodology used and is meant to be a useful tool for other organizations for rapid project management for a large-scale health care data registry.