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Title:

National Action Plan for Expanding and Adapting the Healthcare System for the Duration of the COVID Pandemic

Authors:

Eric Toner, Richard Waldhorn, Tener Veenema, Amesh Adalja, Diane Meyer, Elena Martin, Lauren Sauer, Matthew Watson, Lee Daugherty Biddison, Anita Cicero, Tom Inglesby

Date posted:

May 05, 2020

Publication type:

Report

Publisher:

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

See also:

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Introduction:

The COVID-19 (COVID) pandemic has led to unprecedented action and innovation in the US healthcare system; at the same time, it has presented extraordinary challenges and risks. Through dramatic augmentation of surge capacity, deferral of other services, and implementation of crisis standards of care, hospitals in many locations have been able to absorb the blow of the first peak of COVID cases and continue to provide lifesaving care to both COVID patients and others with life-threatening emergencies. But many communities are just beginning to experience the full force of the pandemic, and in every location, the healthcare response to COVID has come at a very dear price. Healthcare facilities have sustained huge financial losses, and healthcare workers’ health and well-being have been put at high risk. New standard operating procedures and work processes have been improvised, and many old lessons have had to be relearned.