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4 Ways Hospitals are Preparing for the Next COVID Wave

Many are saying COVID-19 will behave like the flu in that infections will naturally occur seasonally. Learn how healthcare is taking lessons learned from the first wave of the virus to prepare for waves of the future.

There’s no predicting how the next wave of COVID will impact us or how we administer care. Despite this uncertainty, however, hospitals are preparing for the next coronavirus wave using knowledge of how the first wave of coronavirus impacted society. Below are some of the practices we’ve seen employed with resounding success during the first wave that many hospitals are planning on bolstering in preparation for the next wave.

1.) Updating Triage Practices

Triage practices are constantly evolving, but hospitals have further facilitated those triaging practices with new medical tech. Tele-triaging has become resoundingly popular during these times where everyone is being asked to stay home whenever they can. Through tele-triage, physicians like the ones at Jefferson Health have been able to meet with patients digitally through webcam equipped medical panel PCs in order to gauge symptoms before patients jeopardize their safety and the safety of others by coming in physically.

With the prospects of a new COVID-19 wave, more and more hospitals and care facilities are setting up telehealth-capable rooms and computer systems across their facility to increase the availability of tele-triage. Ideally, doing so will allow them to see a much larger number of patients at a quicker rate while saving on PPE expenditure.

2.) Staying Conscious of PPE Stocks

Personal Protective Equipment supplies were rocked by the sudden and aggressive appearance of COVID-19. Reserves were all but depleted, but we’ve seen an amazing resurgence of supplies from industrial manufacturers who have stepped up, transforming parts of their operation into PPE production plants and donating supplies to hospitals and care facilities. Seeing how helpful this backup was during the first moments where the virus caught us flat-footed, many healthcare providers are beginning to reach out to manufacturers in preparation of the predicted rise in cases.

Not only are Healthcare networks like St. Luke’s partnering with manufacturers for PPE supplies, they’re educating their staff on the different types of PPE equipment available and when they should be used. Hospitals have already limited depletion with tele-triaging and remote care like we mentioned, but facilities are also retraining their staff on how and when to use these articles of protection so none are being wasted on cases that don’t deserve them.

3.) Remote Cart Care

Telehealth technology solutions such as remote control-enabled medical cart computers have proven essential towards keeping doctors a safe distance away from patients while still enabling them to communicate face to face with them. Facilities have been strengthening their tech-based solutions with fully antimicrobial medical devices that limit the spread of disease transmission and carts capable of being controlled remotely, allowing physicians to visit patients and even run certain tests and tracking capabilities with compatible peripheral testing devices.

4.) Real Time Location Services

Real time location services (RTLS) has seen an increase in popularity and practicality due to the likelihood of a new wave of coronavirus. Using an RTLS program in conjunction with RFID badges, healthcare facilities are unlocking the ability to closely track and monitor both patients and physicians within the building. What this means for staff is that whenever someone is confirmed positive for COVID-19, location logs can be pulled up on that person, revealing every room, patient, and staff member they’ve come into contact with. This allows staff to quickly and responsively quarantine all those at risk in order to prevent potential spread further.

A Second Wave of Preparedness

As unprecedented as the next coronavirus wave is, we’re much more prepared for it than we were the first wave. Across several health facilities, we’re seeing decision makers take what they’ve learned in regards to social distancing and tele-treatment and optimize it in preparation for this new threat. For more information on how you can do the same, contact an expert from Cybernet today.

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