ABSTRACT
Since the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was designated as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, health care systems have been forced to adapt rapidly to defer less urgent care during the crisis.The United States (U.S.) has adopted a four-phase approach to decreasing and then resuming non-essential work. Through strong restrictive measures, Phase I slowed the spread of disease, allowing states to safely diagnose, isolate, and treat patients with COVID-19. In support of social distancing measures, non-urgent studies were postponed, and this created a backlog. Now, as states transition to Phase II, restrictions on non-essential activities will ease, and radiology departments must re-establish care while continuing to mitigate the risk ofCOVID-19 transmission all while accommodating this backlog. In this article, we propose a roadmap that incorporates the current practice guidelines and subject matter consensus statements for the phased reopening of non-urgent and elective radiology services. This roadmap will focus on operationalizing these recommendations for patient care and workforce management. Tiered systems are proposed for the prioritization of elective procedures, with physician-to-physician communication encouraged. Infection control methods, provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), and physical distancingmeasures are highlighted. Finally, changes in hours of operation, hiring strategies, and remote reading servicesare discussed for their potential to ease the transition to normal operations.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 disruptions to the global supply chain have caused a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) at healthcare facilities world-wide. Traditional manufacturers are unable to fill the demand for equipment. Additive manufacturing has been able to help slacken the need by creating novel PPE. Over 8000 reusable filtered masks, over 10,000 face shields, and testing equipment were created with the combined efforts of healthcare organizations, academic institutions, community maker organizations, and creative industry partners. © 2020 SPIE