Anesthetic Resource Limitations and Adaptations in Times of Shortage: Experiences from New York Presbyterian Hospital During COVID-19

David S Wang; Jonathan Hastie; Gebhard Wagener; Oliver Panzer

doi:10.1016/j.anclin.2021.03.003

Anesthetic Resource Limitations and Adaptations in Times of Shortage: Experiences from New York Presbyterian Hospital During COVID-19

Anesthesiol Clin. 2021 Jun;39(2):363-377. doi: 10.1016/j.anclin.2021.03.003. Epub 2021 Apr 28.

Authors

David S Wang¹, Jonathan Hastie², Gebhard Wagener², Oliver Panzer²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: Dsw2144@cumc.columbia.edu.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.

Abstract

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York City, resulting in thousands of deaths over the following months. Because of the exponential spread of disease, the New York City hospital systems became rapidly overwhelmed. The Department of Anesthesiology at New York Presbyterian (NYP)-Columbia continued to offer anesthesia services for obstetrics and emergency surgery, while redirecting the rest of its staff to the expanded airway management role and the creation of the largest novel intensive care unit in the NYP system. Tremendous innovation and optimization were necessary in the face of material, physical, and staffing constraints.

Keywords: COVID-19; New York Presbyterian; ORICU; Pandemic staffing.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Anesthesia / statistics & numerical data*
Anesthesiology / organization & administration*
COVID-19*
Health Resources / organization & administration*
Hospital Departments / organization & administration
Hospitals*
Humans
New York City
Operating Rooms / organization & administration
Pandemics*