Surge capacity and capability of intensive care units across a large healthcare system: An operational blueprint for regional integration

Authors

  • Abhijit Duggal, MD, MPH, MSc https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4220-2359
  • Erica Orsini, MD
  • Eduardo Mireles-Cabodevila, MD
  • Sudhir Krishnan, MD
  • Prabalini Rajendram, MD
  • Riley Carpenter, BA
  • Hassan Khouli, MD
  • Umur Hatipoglu, MD, MBA
  • Raed Dweik, MD, MBA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2021.0400

Keywords:

regionalization, surge capacity, pandemic, COVID-19, health system integration

Abstract

Objective: Many hospitals were unprepared for the surge of patients associated with the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We describe the processes to develop and implement a surge plan framework for resource allocation, staffing, and standardized management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic across a large integrated regional healthcare system.

Setting: A large academic medical center in the Cleveland metropolitan area, with a network of 10 regional hospitals throughout Northeastern Ohio with a daily capacity of more than 500 intensive care unit (ICU) beds.

Results: At the beginning of the pandemic, an equitable delivery of healthcare services across the healthcare system was developed. This distribution of resources was implemented with the potential needs and resources of the individual ICUs in mind, and epidemiologic predictions of virus transmissibility. We describe the processes to develop and implement a surge plan framework for resource allocation, staffing, and standardized management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic across a large integrated regional healthcare system. We also describe an additional level of surge capacity, which is available to well-integrated institutions called “extension of capacity.” This refers to the ability to immediately have access to the beds and resources within a hospital system with minimal administrative burden.

Conclusions: Large integrated hospital systems may have an advantage over individual hospitals because they can shift supplies among regional partners, which may lead to faster mobilization of resources, rather than depending on local and national governments. The pandemic response of our healthcare system highlights these benefits.

Author Biographies

Abhijit Duggal, MD, MPH, MSc

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Erica Orsini, MD

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Eduardo Mireles-Cabodevila, MD

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Sudhir Krishnan, MD

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Prabalini Rajendram, MD

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Riley Carpenter, BA

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Hassan Khouli, MD

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Umur Hatipoglu, MD, MBA

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Raed Dweik, MD, MBA

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

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Published

09/01/2021

How to Cite

Duggal, MD, MPH, MSc, A., E. Orsini, MD, E. Mireles-Cabodevila, MD, S. Krishnan, MD, P. Rajendram, MD, R. Carpenter, BA, H. Khouli, MD, U. Hatipoglu, MD, MBA, and R. Dweik, MD, MBA. “Surge Capacity and Capability of Intensive Care Units across a Large Healthcare System: An Operational Blueprint for Regional Integration”. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, vol. 16, no. 3, Sept. 2021, pp. 179-92, doi:10.5055/ajdm.2021.0400.

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 3 (2021): Summer

Section

Articles

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