Rebooting the ambulatory enterprise in a community medical group in Kentucky following the initial surge of COVID-19

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has intensified globally since its origin in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Many medical groups across the United States have experienced extraordinary clinical and financial pressures due to COVID-19 as a result of a decline in elective inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures and most nonurgent elective physician visits. The current study reports how our medical group in a metropolitan community in Kentucky rebooted our ambulatory and inpatient services following the guidance of our state's phased reopening. Particular attention focused on the transition between the initial COVID-19 surge and post-COVID-19 surge and how our medical group responded to meet community needs. Ten strategies were incorporated in our medical group, including heightened communication; ambulatory telehealth; safe and clean outpatient environment; marketing; physician, other medical provider, and staff compensation; high quality patient experience; schedule optimization; rescheduling tactics; data management; and primary care versus specialty approaches. These methods are applicable to both the current rebooting stage as well as to a potential resurgence of COVID-19 in the future.

Standardizing the supply chain in nursing units in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Since the first four cases of “pneumonia of unknown etiology” in Wuhan, China, were reported on December 29, 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has surged worldwide and posed countless dilemmas for healthcare systems 2-5. Hospital executives and supply chain leaders concur that the pandemic has created vulnerabilities in their organizations' supply chains 6.…”

“…Since the first four cases of "pneumonia of unknown etiology" in Wuhan, China, were reported on December 29, 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has surged worldwide and posed countless dilemmas for healthcare systems. [2][3][4][5] Hospital executives and supply chain leaders concur that the pandemic has created vulnerabilities in their organizations' supply chains. 6 In a survey of 100 hospital organizations in August 2021, 93% of respondents had attempted to address pandemic-induced shortcomings such as inadequate supply stockpiles, unreliable suppliers, poor visibility into inventory, and staff safety risks.…”