Discharge ward during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an effective way to increase patient turnover when human resources are scarce

Infez Med. 2020 Dec 1;28(4):539-544.

Abstract

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the province of Brescia (Italy) had a significant number of COVID-19 cases, which led to a subversion of the ordinary structure of the university hospital ASST Spedali Civili, driven by the need to hospitalize as many patients as possible in a narrow period of time. At the peak of the epidemic, a rapid hospitalization discharge area, the Discharge Ward (DW), was set up with the aim of facilitating the rapid turnover of patients in the wards where the most severe patients had to be hospitalized. The organization and activities carried out are described in the results of this reproducible experience during epidemic events.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bed Occupancy / statistics & numerical data
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • COVID-19 / mortality
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Hospital Units / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Length of Stay
  • Male
  • Medical Staff, Hospital / organization & administration
  • Medical Staff, Hospital / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / organization & administration
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / statistics & numerical data
  • Pandemics*
  • Patient Discharge*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Time Factors
  • Workforce*