Going to war on COVID-19: Mobilizing an academic nephrology group practice

Nephrology (Carlton). 2020 Nov;25(11):822-828. doi: 10.1111/nep.13753. Epub 2020 Aug 24.

Abstract

Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented operational challenges to nephrology divisions in every country as they cope with COVID-19-related kidney disease in addition to regular patient care. Although general approaches have been proposed, there is a lack of practical guidance for nephrology division response in a hospital facing a surge of cases. Here, we describe the specific measures that our division has taken in the hope that our experience in Singapore may be helpful to others.

Methods: Descriptive narrative.

Results: A compilation of operational responses to the COVID-19 pandemic taken by a nephrology division at a Singapore university hospital.

Conclusion: Nephrology operational readiness for COVID-19 requires a clinical mindset shift from usual standard of care to a crisis exigency model that targets best outcomes for available resources. Rapid multi-disciplinary efforts that evolve flexibly with the local dynamics of the outbreak are required.

Keywords: COVID-19; nephrology; operational; pandemic; response.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Civil Defense* / standards
  • Civil Defense* / statistics & numerical data
  • Coronavirus Infections* / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections* / physiopathology
  • Coronavirus Infections* / therapy
  • Critical Pathways / trends*
  • Group Practice* / organization & administration
  • Group Practice* / trends
  • Hospitals, University
  • Humans
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Kidney Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Kidney Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Kidney Diseases* / virology
  • Nephrology / trends
  • Organizational Innovation
  • Pandemics*
  • Patient Care Management / methods
  • Patient Care Management / organization & administration
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / physiopathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / therapy
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / epidemiology
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / therapy
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Singapore / epidemiology