Safe Flight Instrument Corporation creates ventilator splitter
Editor's Note Safe Flight Instrument Corporation (White Plains, New York), a company that develops aircraft safety and performance technology, has developed the Quad/Vent Splitter that allows four patients to use one ventilator simultaneously, the April 13 Aviation International News Online reports. Using 3-D printing, the device has four independent ports…
Academic surgeons formulate COVID-19 triage plan to reduce OR volume, manage resources
Editor's Note In this study, Elizabeth Wick, MD, and colleagues at the University of California at San Francisco develop a surgery-triage plan to reduce OR volume and manage healthcare resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their comprehensive rapid response plan included: Reducing OR volume by 80% to ensure adequate capacity to…
ECRI Institute, RLDatix collaborate on a caring for the caregiver training program
Editor's Note ECRI Institute and RLDatix announced April 13 a new collaboration to provide free empathetic communication and caring for the caregiver training programs. The first program will be an April 16 webcast that combines the clinical side of the COVID-19 battle (the head) with the need to provide emotional…
Simulation to predict hospital capacity needs during COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note This study from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, finds that a susceptible, infected, removed (SIR) epidemic model can be adapted to local population characteristics to inform hospital planning for epidemic-related surges in hospital capacity. Using COVID-19 patients only, the SIR model estimated that it would be 31 to…
ACS issues statement on maintaining emergency care system during COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note As hospitals face a surge of COVID-19 patients, the ability for them to care for trauma cases and medical and surgical emergencies is severely compromised. Because of this, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) on April 7 issued a statement calling for strategies to preserve capacity and capability…
Effectiveness of surgical, cotton masks in blocking SARS-CoV-2
Editor's Note In this study from Seoul, South Korea, both surgical and cotton masks were ineffective in preventing the dissemination of SARS-CoV-2, from coughs of patients with COVID-19 to the environment and external mask surface. For the study, four patients with COVID-19 were admitted to negative pressure isolation rooms and…
Joint Commission offers guidance, resources for creating capacity for COVID-19 surge patients
Editor's Note The Joint Commission, in its April 8 online newsletter, announced the creation of a web portal with resources to assist healthcare workers create capacity for surge patients with COVID-19. Included are: Use of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) as Alternative Care Sites for Hospitals Emergency Management Healthcare Environment Checklist…
Survey: US public concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note This survey given via social media by researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine and others found that respondents’ top concerns were getting sick because of COVID-19 (70.1%) and not being able to get medical care (46.3%). Of 8,982 respondents, 95.7% reported making changes to their lifestyle, with…
FDA issues COVID-19 update
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on April 7 issued an update on actions the agency has taken in its ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The actions include: a guidance for remote ophthalmic assessment and monitoring devices to facilitate patient care while reducing patient and healthcare provider…
Characteristics, outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs in Italy
Editor's Note In this case series of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs in the Lombardy region of Italy, the majority were older men, a large proportion required mechanical ventilation and high levels of PEEP, and ICU mortality was 26%. Of the 1,591 patients included in this study: the median age…
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