ABSTRACT
Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in late December 2019, and escalation of the public hospital infectious disease outbreak response level to the highest "emergency" level three days after two COVID-19 cases were diagnosed on 22 January 2020, all public hospitals implemented a series of isolation policies, rescheduled clinical services and mobilised resources to support frontline clinical staff. This article reviewed these multi-level policies adopted in the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, which have ensured that the healthcare system was not overwhelmed and frontline staff was not over-stressed and infected.
ABSTRACT
Background: Home visit service to dialysis patients has established in Queen Mary Hospital renal unit for long times. However, such service was suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: We decided to perform the home visit (HV) by zoom to evaluate patient's home performance to both peritoneal patients (PD) and home haemodialysis (HHD) patients. Methodology: 'Zoom' was chosen to perform HV and a pilot run was started in December 2020. For pre-zoom preparation, a workgroup was formed by dialysis nurses;HV checklists were modified from existing one;consent forms were revised;zoom apps were allowed to use after approved by the internet technology (IT) department;two instruction guides were prepared to nurses and patients / helpers and special cell phone / i-pad stabilizers were provided to patients. One trail run was conducted with nursing staff and two trail runs were conducted with PD patient volunteers. Results: 26 PD and 1 HHD zoom HV was done in December 2020. During zoom HV, patient's home environments;techniques;PD / HHD related knowledge were evaluated. Performance improvement advice were given to patients and caregivers before end of HV. 1 patient was found contamination of transfer set and need to return to hospital for treatment. Evaluation forms were prepared to patients and nurses. 24 patients were satisfied with the zoom HV arrangement and agreed that zoom was easy to manage. 17 patients disagreed that their performance would be affected by external factors and causing some distractions. All 6 nurses agreed that zoom HV were easy to manage and they were satisfied. 2 of them were distracted by external factors and 4 of them were neutral on this point. Conclusions: Zoom HV is a convenient way to assess patient's condition and performance at home when physical visit is restricted during COVID 19 pandemic.