Resource Re-Allocation During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Suburban Hospital System: Implications for Outpatient Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Michael Meneghini, R.

Abstract The COVID pandemic of 2020 has emerged as a global threat to patients, healthcare providers and to the global economy. Due to this particular novel and highly infectious strain of coronavirus, the rapid community spread and clinical severity of the subsequent respiratory syndrome created a substantial strain on hospitals and healthcare systems around the world. The rapid surge of patients presenting over a small time period for emergent clinical care, admission to the hospital and intensive care units with many requiring mechanically assisted ventilators for respiratory support demonstrated the potential to overwhelm healthcare workers, hospitals and healthcare systems. The purpose of our article is to describe an effective system for re-deployment of healthcare supplies, resources and personnel to hospitals within a suburban academic hospital system to optimize the care of COVID patients, while treating orthopaedic patients in an equally ideal setting to maximize their surgical and clinical care. This article will provide a particular focus on the current and future role of a specialty hip and knee hospital and its partnering ambulatory surgery center in the context of an outpatient arthroplasty program.