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After the coronavirus outbreak, the disease known as COVID-19 has been infecting millions of people, and the number of deaths is pilling up to hundreds of thousands. In Indonesia, especially Jakarta, some of the deaths are caused by pandemic-related surges that strain hospital capacity. Besides, people had many obstacles in this pandemic condition because of the lack of knowledge about COVID-19. On that matter, several models emerged worldwide to help inform public decision making in this pandemic situation. With today's technological advances the CHIME (COVID-19 Hospital Impact Model for Epidemics) application is designed to assist hospitals and public health officials with understanding hospital capacity needs as they relate to the COVID pandemic. This paper aims to help inform public health decision making regarding the transmission of COVID-19 in Jakarta using CHIME. This work uses Jakarta COVID-19 data from November 24th, 2021 and its accumulation from 14 days before (November 10th, 2021) to predict the course of COVID-19 in 30 days. With ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Experience, this work successfully made a map that uses CHIME to inform about peak demand of each city in DKI Jakarta and the daily new admissions and hospitalization graph. In addition, a Jakarta COVID-19 dashboard is also made to inform more about the transmission of COVID-19. © 2022 IEEE.
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Background. As a producer of hazardous waste, hospitals have the responsibility to manage the waste they produce. Hospital non-compliance in managing hazardous waste can have a negative impact on the environment and public health, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the amount of hazardous waste produced by healthcare facilities is increasing. To protect the environment and public health from the negative impact of hazardous medical waste, this study was conducted to determine the level of compliance of hazardous waste management in hospitals in Indonesia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2019 to 2020. Study design. Cross-sectional. Methods. This study was conducted at 343 hospitals in Indonesia using secondary data obtained from Sikelim (Medical Waste Management Information System), which is owned and operated by the Ministry of Health. The data have been analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regressions of the determinant model. Results. There was an increase in the level of compliance of hazardous waste management in hospitals from 82% to 86% during the pandemic. Furthermore, the availability of environmental documents and environmental health units were determinant factors of hazardous waste management compliance by hospitals before the pandemic in 2019. The only factor in 2020 was the availability of environmental health units. Conclusions. Despite the good level of compliance, additional efforts are needed to increase the activities of the treatment of hazardous medical waste by hospitals, as before the pandemic (i.e., in a normal situation) only 8% of hospitals was able to independently manage hazardous medical waste using authorized incinerators, a percentage that was reduced to 6% during the pandemic. © Società Editrice Universo (SEU), Roma, Italy
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Due to the rather specific course of COVID-19, the question of what day after the start of hospitalization should be expected to be the maximum risk of death in patients both during hospitalization and after discharge is relevant. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the time of maximum risk of death during hospitalization of patients with COVID-19 as well as after their discharge from the hospital. Methodology and Research Methods. A total of 2, 410 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were retrospectively studied. Inhospital 28-day mortality rate was 131 patients, and 28-day mortality rate after discharge from the hospital was 9. The accelerated failure time model (AFT) was used to determine the time of maximum risk of death in patients with COVID-19 after hospitalization as well as after discharge from the hospital during the period up to 28 days. Results. Without taking into account the influence of pathological values of other risk factors, lethal outcomes in patients occurred on days 9-11 after admission to hospital. Age over 60 years and the elevated levels of D-dimer, glucose, urea, creatinine, AST, and C-reactive protein were the risk factors (p < 0.01) that shortened the time to death, except for total protein, which lengthened this period. The maximum risk of death in patients after discharge from the hospital occurred on days 13-25, and an increase in creatinine and a decrease in INR were associated with a shorter time to death. Conclusion. The periods of maximum risk of death as well as the factors affecting these periods in patients with COVID-19 were determined for both hospital stay (days 9-11) and time after discharge from hospital (days 13-25). © 2022 Tomsk State University. All rights reserved.
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Objective: To describe the burden of COVID-19 in a children's multidisciplinary hospital for two years of the pandemic, taking into account of age, severity of the disease, the spectrum of underlying conditions and the intensive care need. Method(s): An assessment of 6048 cases of COVID-19 in patients under 18 years of age hospitalized from March 26, 2020 to December 31, 2021 was carried out. The diagnosis was confirmed by PCR on an outpatient basis or after hospitalization with the help of diagnostic kits registered in the Russian Federation. The features of the work of a children's multidisciplinary hospital in new conditions, the dynamics of hospitalization, age characteristics and new coronavirus (CV) infection severity in the pandemic development process are presented. The analysis of the underlying condition's structure depending on the severity of the disease, as well as the need and volume of therapy in the intensive care unit. The frequency and main characteristics of children's multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in hospital conditions, long-term PCR positivity and its effect on the duration of inpatient treatment of children have been established. Result(s): The spread of SARS-COV-2 in St. Petersburg required a radical change in the work of the children's multidisciplinary hospital. During the two years of the pandemic, four waves of hospitalization of children with new CV were revealed, differing in duration, intensity, and frequency of lung damage, but having no significant differences in the proportion of severe forms of the disease (1.7-2.8% of cases). Intensive therapy was required in 3.6% of cases, of which only 1/3 was due to the severe course of COVID-19 with a lung lesion volume of up to 100%. In 1/3 of cases, patients had risks of developing severe forms and in 1/3 - other pathology. Severe course of new CV was significantly more often accompanied by the need for respiratory support, anticoagulants and anti-inflammatory therapy. Contributing factors of severe forms and unfavorable outcomes were: pathology of the central nervous system, genetic diseases and malformations, obesity, as well as chronic bronchopulmonary pathology. Mortality in the hospital was recorded only among children with severe underlying conditions (0.1% of cases). D-MVS was registered significantly more often in boys (7 out of every 10 patients), accounting for 1.2% of cases of hospitalization of children with new CV over the entire period. Convalescent PCR-positivity in the outcome of COVID-19 was detected in 1/3 of children, significantly more often during the autumn-winter waves of the pandemic and among patients of high school age. Conclusion(s): New CV is gradually strengthening its position in the structure of acute respiratory pathology in children. Some of SARS-COV-2 infection cases is accompanied by extensive lung damage, as well as severe systemic inflammation independently or in the other infectious diseases structure, induction of the debut of various somatic pathology is not excluded. The presented data confirm the need for increased attention at high risk of adverse respiratory diseases outcomes children. All severe cases of COVID-19 in children require a personalized approach, taking into account the existing background diseases and possible options for the progression of the process. MIS-C should be considered as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome within the framework of an infectious disease of various etiologies, differentiated with Kawasaki disease and the debut of systemic diseases. The long-term PCR-positivity in the outcome of COVID-19 requires further study to address the need and nature of therapy in order to prevent further spread of infection in the population.Copyright © 2022 Interregional public organization Association of infectious disease specialists of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region (IPO AIDSSPbR). All rights reserved.
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Objective: To describe the burden of COVID-19 in a children's multidisciplinary hospital for two years of the pandemic, taking into account of age, severity of the disease, the spectrum of underlying conditions and the intensive care need. Methods: An assessment of 6048 cases of COVID-19 in patients under 18 years of age hospitalized from March 26, 2020 to December 31, 2021 was carried out. The diagnosis was confirmed by PCR on an outpatient basis or after hospitalization with the help of diagnostic kits registered in the Russian Federation. The features of the work of a children's multidisciplinary hospital in new conditions, the dynamics of hospitalization, age characteristics and new coronavirus (CV) infection severity in the pandemic development process are presented. The analysis of the underlying condition's structure depending on the severity of the disease, as well as the need and volume of therapy in the intensive care unit. The frequency and main characteristics of children's multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in hospital conditions, long-term PCR positivity and its effect on the duration of inpatient treatment of children have been established. Results: The spread of SARS-COV-2 in St. Petersburg required a radical change in the work of the children's multidisciplinary hospital. During the two years of the pandemic, four waves of hospitalization of children with new CV were revealed, differing in duration, intensity, and frequency of lung damage, but having no significant differences in the proportion of severe forms of the disease (1.7-2.8% of cases). Intensive therapy was required in 3.6% of cases, of which only 1/3 was due to the severe course of COVID-19 with a lung lesion volume of up to 100%. In 1/3 of cases, patients had risks of developing severe forms and in 1/3 – other pathology. Severe course of new CV was significantly more often accompanied by the need for respiratory support, anticoagulants and anti-inflammatory therapy. Contributing factors of severe forms and unfavorable outcomes were: pathology of the central nervous system, genetic diseases and malformations, obesity, as well as chronic bronchopulmonary pathology. Mortality in the hospital was recorded only among children with severe underlying conditions (0.1% of cases). D-MVS was registered significantly more often in boys (7 out of every 10 patients), accounting for 1.2% of cases of hospitalization of children with new CV over the entire period. Convalescent PCR-positivity in the outcome of COVID-19 was detected in 1/3 of children, significantly more often during the autumn-winter waves of the pandemic and among patients of high school age. Conclusion: New CV is gradually strengthening its position in the structure of acute respiratory pathology in children. Some of SARS-COV-2 infection cases is accompanied by extensive lung damage, as well as severe systemic inflammation independently or in the other infectious diseases structure, induction of the debut of various somatic pathology is not excluded. The presented data confirm the need for increased attention at high risk of adverse respiratory diseases outcomes children. All severe cases of COVID-19 in children require a personalized approach, taking into account the existing background diseases and possible options for the progression of the process. MIS-C should be considered as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome within the framework of an infectious disease of various etiologies, differentiated with Kawasaki disease and the debut of systemic diseases. The long-term PCR-positivity in the outcome of COVID-19 requires further study to address the need and nature of therapy in order to prevent further spread of infection in the population. © 2022 Interregional public organization Association of infectious disease specialists of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region (IPO AIDSSPbR). All rights reserved.
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Objective: To describe the burden of COVID-19 in a children's multidisciplinary hospital for two years of the pandemic, taking into account of age, severity of the disease, the spectrum of underlying conditions and the intensive care need. Method(s): An assessment of 6048 cases of COVID-19 in patients under 18 years of age hospitalized from March 26, 2020 to December 31, 2021 was carried out. The diagnosis was confirmed by PCR on an outpatient basis or after hospitalization with the help of diagnostic kits registered in the Russian Federation. The features of the work of a children's multidisciplinary hospital in new conditions, the dynamics of hospitalization, age characteristics and new coronavirus (CV) infection severity in the pandemic development process are presented. The analysis of the underlying condition's structure depending on the severity of the disease, as well as the need and volume of therapy in the intensive care unit. The frequency and main characteristics of children's multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in hospital conditions, long-term PCR positivity and its effect on the duration of inpatient treatment of children have been established. Result(s): The spread of SARS-COV-2 in St. Petersburg required a radical change in the work of the children's multidisciplinary hospital. During the two years of the pandemic, four waves of hospitalization of children with new CV were revealed, differing in duration, intensity, and frequency of lung damage, but having no significant differences in the proportion of severe forms of the disease (1.7-2.8% of cases). Intensive therapy was required in 3.6% of cases, of which only 1/3 was due to the severe course of COVID-19 with a lung lesion volume of up to 100%. In 1/3 of cases, patients had risks of developing severe forms and in 1/3 - other pathology. Severe course of new CV was significantly more often accompanied by the need for respiratory support, anticoagulants and anti-inflammatory therapy. Contributing factors of severe forms and unfavorable outcomes were: pathology of the central nervous system, genetic diseases and malformations, obesity, as well as chronic bronchopulmonary pathology. Mortality in the hospital was recorded only among children with severe underlying conditions (0.1% of cases). D-MVS was registered significantly more often in boys (7 out of every 10 patients), accounting for 1.2% of cases of hospitalization of children with new CV over the entire period. Convalescent PCR-positivity in the outcome of COVID-19 was detected in 1/3 of children, significantly more often during the autumn-winter waves of the pandemic and among patients of high school age. Conclusion(s): New CV is gradually strengthening its position in the structure of acute respiratory pathology in children. Some of SARS-COV-2 infection cases is accompanied by extensive lung damage, as well as severe systemic inflammation independently or in the other infectious diseases structure, induction of the debut of various somatic pathology is not excluded. The presented data confirm the need for increased attention at high risk of adverse respiratory diseases outcomes children. All severe cases of COVID-19 in children require a personalized approach, taking into account the existing background diseases and possible options for the progression of the process. MIS-C should be considered as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome within the framework of an infectious disease of various etiologies, differentiated with Kawasaki disease and the debut of systemic diseases. The long-term PCR-positivity in the outcome of COVID-19 requires further study to address the need and nature of therapy in order to prevent further spread of infection in the population.Copyright © 2022 Interregional public organization Association of infectious disease specialists of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region (IPO AIDSSPbR). All rights reserved.
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The current COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected the large population across the globe by serious respiratory illness and death. Since the medicine for this new disease is yet to discover, the treatment op-tions against pandemic COVID-19 are very limited and unsatisfactory. Further, the hospitals, wherethe COVID-19 patients are admitted for treatment, are the major source of the spread of this virus, as it survives on the surfaces of inanimate objects for days. Therefore, hospitals have become hotspots for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The non-availability of quality personal protective equipment (PPE) and exposure to severe COVID patients have been major factors for the infection in millions of healthcare workers. However, developing an effective medicine has remained challenging due to its unpredictable mutation rate. Here, this article describes functionalized photocatalytic nanocoat-ings to destroy the COVID-19 virus, which can be applied on the surface of inanimate objects, such as paper, cloth, glass, wood, ceramic, metallic, and polymeric surfaces. With the supporting experimental results, various possible ways of killing the virus and its relevant mechanism are dis-cussed. This article provides new insights for developing nano solutions to address this COVID-19 issue.Copyright © 2021 Bentham Science Publishers.
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Objective: To assess the frequency and correlation of GI manifestations with outcomes in hospitalized patients suffering from COVID-19. Study Design: Retrospective Cohort study. Setting: Tertiary Care Hospital, Gujrat. Period: April 1st, 2020 to March 31st, 2021. Material & Methods: Medical records were collected retrospectively from six hundred eighty eight COVID-19 patients having complete charts. Among them male were 364 (52.91%). Incomplete charts were excluded from the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used after adjusting for co-morbidities and clinical demographics. Results: Most of the patients with COVID-19 presented with cough (38.44%), dyspnea (37.53%), and fever (34.34%), while GI symptoms were noted in 25.92% of patients. Among them diarrhea was in 12.83%, nausea and vomiting in 10.53%, diminished hunger 9.32%, and abdominal discomfort 3.83%. Mortality, admission to ICU and need for intubation was more common among patients with diarrhea. (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations are common in patients with COVID-19. Among them patients with diarrhea were more prone to admission to intensive care unit, intubation and death so patients with COVID-19 should be questioned for GI symptoms also. Medical professionals should know that diarrhea may be an indicator of severity of disease and its effect on prognosis of patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Professional Medical Journal is the property of Professional Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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In this commentary, we share our experience of a COVID-19 cluster which developed within a frontline healthcare facility designated for treating COVID-19 patients. We provide an Otorhinolaryngology perspective into the key challenges, analyses and responses. We discuss how we identified and isolated infected patients and staff, uncovered the responsible COVID-19 variant strain B1.617.2 and instituted various measures to overcome this cluster. The measures include ceasing non-essential services, limiting transfers of patients, a heightened stance of personal protective equipment, ring-fencing of staff and enhanced COVID-19 testing. With rapid hospital wide efforts, there were no new non-isolated cases from our hospital cluster 3 days after the wards were locked down. The cluster which developed on 28-April-2021 was closed on 6-Jun-2021, with 48 cases, ten of whom were healthcare workers. Some of these lessons may be useful for consideration should another healthcare institution face a similar crisis in the future.Copyright © The Author(s) 2022.
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Aim: In the present study, the aim is to determine the approaches of patients to healthcare services before and during the pandemic by comparing the rates of outpatient admissions and hospitalizations to Selcuk University Medical Faculty Hospital throughout the present study. Material(s) and Method(s): The present study is a retrospective, descriptive study. Patients diagnosed with COVID were admitted to Selcuk University Medical Faculty Hospital on March 5, 2020. During the pandemic, no patients diagnosed with COVID were admitted to the adult cardiology, neurology, internal medicine, psychiatry, emergency, general surgery and pediatric emergency, pediatric psychiatry, pediatrics and pediatric surgery polyclinics and services. Hence, these clinics were included in the study. In the study, patients' data who applied to the relevant clinics of Selcuk University Medical Faculty Hospital or were hospitalized in the relevant clinics, including the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, were examined as pre-pandemic (2019) and pandemic period (2020, 2021) quarterly. The parameters of the present study were the pre-pandemic and pandemic period. The data obtained in the study were evaluated with descriptive statistics (as frequency and percentage). Result(s): In the first year of the pandemic, it was determined that both the number of outpatient clinic referrals and hospitalizations to the relevant clinics decreased significantly. Although the impact of epidemic diseases, emerging throughout human history has decreased, the risk they carry is systematically exaggerated, and the fears of the public fueled constantly by the media. Discussion(s): Unfortunately, this fear in society was also reflected in hospital admissions. Therefore, to manage medical services correctly during pandemics, planned and organized psychosocial support services are needed to preserve the mental health of the community as well as to enable appropriate medical interventions.Copyright © 2023, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.
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Objective. An outbreak of pneumonia named COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus in Wuhan is rapidly spreading worldwide. The objective of the present study was to clarify further the clinical characteristics and blood parameters in COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods. Twenty-three suspected patients and 64 patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-Cov-2 infection were admitted to a designated hospital. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data were collected and analyzed. Results. Of the 64 patients studied, 47 (73.4%) had been exposed to a confirmed source of COVID-19 transmission. On admission, the most common symptoms were fever (75%) and cough (76.6%). Twenty-eight (43.8%) COVID-19 patients showed leukopenia, 10 (15.6%) showed lymphopenia, 47 (73.4%) and 41 (64.1%) had elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), respectively, and 30 (46.9%) had increased fibrinogen concentration. After the treatment, the counts of white blood cells and platelets, and the level of prealbumin increased significantly, while aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and hsCRP decreased. COVID-19 patients with the hospital stay longer than 12 days had higher body mass index (BMI) and increased levels of AST, LDH, fibrinogen, hsCRP, and ESR. Conclusions. Results of blood tests have potential clinical value in COVID-19 patients.Copyright © 2020 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.
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Purpose: Poor Hospital Indoor Air Quality is known to affect health leading to many diseases. To control infections, apart from clinical safety, care pathway, indoor air quality is also monitored. Considering the coronavirus outbreak and its extended disease incidences like Black fungus, it becomes important to proactively initiate preventive and mitigation strategies. Concept & Design: SMART MEDIAIRGUARDTM is an IoT integrated device that measures and monitors hospital Indoor Air Quality on a real time basis and give alerts when any measured parameter is abnormal. Findings: 1. IoT cloud supports an evidenced based decision. 2. Real time monitoring and alert encourages a proactive mode of practice, ensuring reduced hospital acquired infections and increased patient safety. The Originality value: In comparison to the prevailing technology, SMART MEDIAIRGUARDTM is a unique affordable device with precision, accuracy, enhanced safety and comfort. IoT integration complements a proactively monitored and controlled indoor environment on a real time basis for healthy indoor air. © 2023 DMICS.
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This article analyses the architecture that was used in the temporary AmberExpo hospital in Gdansk, Poland which was installed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The construction of this type of facility is often based on experimental approaches, aimed at caring for patients suffering from an infectious disease in emergency conditions. In order to assess the level of employee satisfaction with the architectural and technical elements used in the first period of the hospital's activity, medical staff were asked to fill out a questionnaire. The analysis of the survey's results indicated that the majority of employees expressed satisfaction with the architectural and technical elements, with the design of the spatial layout of the individual medical zones receiving the most positive feedback. However, frequently selected drawbacks in the design included the lack of natural daylight, the artificial light that was used and the acoustics of the facility. This detailed examination of the satisfaction and feedback from medical employees working in this type of emergency facility enables the development of solutions that in the future will allow for the improved adaptive reuse and implementation of such structures, with enhanced time and economic efficiency, and most importantly, the ability to provide a safer workplace.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Poland , Pandemics , Workplace , Hospitals , Medical Staff , Personal SatisfactionABSTRACT
Background: Work environment characteristics have an important impact on organizational wellbeing in health care facilities. In the Apulia Region, a new COVID-19 hospital was planned, designated and built in a few weeks for the treatment of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. To our knowledge, this hospital, together with "Fiera Hospital" in Milan, are two of the few buildings worldwide that have been converted into new health care facilities with intensive care center units to treat COVID-19 patients, and this is the first study assessing organizational wellbeing in a newly designated COVID-19 hospital. Aims: To detect and assess the strong points, criticality, and perceptions of wellbeing/discomfort of health care workers engaged in the management of the current health emergency. Method: The study was conducted on 188 health care workers, with the "Multidimensional Organizational Health Questionnaire." Results: We found an overall positive level of organizational wellbeing. The more positive dimensions were "Collaboration between colleagues," "Organizational efficiency" and "Room Comfort." Conflict situations in the workplace were poorly perceived. A very low rate of absenteeism from work was also observed. Conclusions: Our results show the effectiveness of the organizational model adopted in the management of the COVID-19 hospital, especially in view of the work and emotional overload of the personnel called to face the epidemiological emergency on the frontline, which did not adversely affect the psychophysical conditions of the workers. The success of this model is related to the coexistence of all levels of care required during any type of health emergency in a single structure, paying particular attention to the architectural, functional, and procedural aspects of health care and to the so-called "humanization" of care.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , SARS-CoV-2 , Hospitals , Workplace , Health PersonnelABSTRACT
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic challenged the healthcare infrastructure, with health-service providers (HSPs) offering unconditional and unprejudiced service to admitted patients. During the first wave, due to the novelty of the disease and the lack of clarity regarding its transmission in the initial phases of the evolution of the disease, the predominant fear was of contracting the disease while caring for patients. With the prevailing uncertainty in knowledge and management, this study was planned to identify the barriers to delivering optimal healthcare to COVID-19 patients. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among HSPs working in the first phase of a dedicated 500-bed government COVID-19 hospital at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences using an online questionnaire with the following five aspects: workplace guidelines and support, protective equipment, access to information regarding updates on the epidemic, overall self-reported stress and workplace stress about self-infection with COVID-19 and family being infected, and demographics. All HSPs aged 18 years or above, who were working either on a full- or a part-time basis, were able to understand the English language, and who were working in the COVID-19 hospital and gave digital informed consent (via Google Forms) were included in the study. All data were collected, coded, tabulated, and analyzed using Google Forms in an Excel format and Epi Info software version 7.2.5.0. Results Of the 144 respondents contacted, 132 completed the survey, with a participation rate of 91.67%. About 52.27% of respondents were aged 21-30 years, 68.18% were females, and 56.06% were nurses. Challenges faced were "working in a new context" (40.91%), "the uncertainty and fear of being infected and infecting others"(31.06%), and "exhausted by the workload and protective gear" (18.94%). Moreover, 64.12% were aware of a workplace policy. Only 0.75% felt that their workload needed to be reduced; 2.27% felt the need for a penalty policy for hiding travel history, lack of quarantine compliance, avoiding the accumulation of face masks, and price inflation of face masks. The overall self-reported stress level was significantly associated with a lack of awareness of workplace policies and the fear of getting infected. Furthermore, 93.94% reported that they had an adequate supply of personal protective equipment. As high as 81.06% of the HSPs were "worried about being infected from COVID-19 during work," and 94.69% were "worried about their family being infected from COVID-19 due to their working in COVID-19 hospitals." Conclusions HSPs' perception of barriers in providing healthcare gave an insight into the problems being faced and helped improve the quality of services. The study highlighted the need of increasing awareness regarding the existing workplace policies among HSPs to promote preparedness during crisis management.
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In a single health system consisting of 69 hospitals, Sturm et al used an infection prevention surveillance system to identify all blood cultures positive for five organisms commonly seen in healthcare-associated infections: In an Italian eight-hospital system, Grasselli et al reported bloodstream infections accounting for 25% of all hospital-acquired infections in the critically ill COVID-19 population, with findings of 11.7 bloodstream infections per 1,000 ICU patient-days and 4.7 catheter-related bloodstream infections per 1,000 ICU patient-days.1 The variables associated with infection included age, positive end-expiratory pressure, and treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics on admission.1 When considering several clinical and systems-based factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, results from this study are not surprising. Health care-associated infections: A meta-analysis of costs and financial impact on the US health care system.
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This paper described a suggested model to predict bed occupancy for Covid-19 patients by country during the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. This model can be used to make decisions on the introduction or alleviation of restrictive measures and on the prediction of oxygen and health human resource requirements. To predict Covid-19 hospital occupancy, we tested some recurrent deep learning architectures. To train the model, we referred to Covid-19 hospital occupancy data from 15 countries whose curves started their regressions during January 2022. The studied period covers the month of December 2021 and the beginning of January 2022, which represents the period of strong contagion of the omicron variant around the world. The evolution sequences of hospital occupancy, vaccination percentages and median ages of populations were used to train our model. The results are very promising which could help to better manage the current pandemic peak. © 2022. by the authors. Licensee Agora University, Oradea, Romania.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the total number of hospital beds in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi was 54,321 (roughly 300 beds per one lakh population), which was inadequate for the patients. Therefore, the Indian government initiated the construction of a 1,000-bedded greenfield hangar-based hospital to bridge the healthcare gap. As a result, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds in the facility augmented the COVID-19 care ICU beds in the city by 11%. The authors were involved in the planning, developing, and initiating the functioning of 1,000-bedded Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital (DCH). The hospital was conceptualized, built, and operationalized in 12 days only. Lessons learned from this experience would be of benefit should similar situations arise in future. Coordinating structural designing early with the entire project team-from facility administrators and medical practitioners to architects, consultants, and contractors-can result in a structure that better matches the facility's long-term needs and often saves construction time and costs. This article enumerates various challenges faced and the way they were addressed. This hangar-based hospital can be rapidly constructed and deployed on a massive scale. While structural integrity is essential, the planning team was particularly aware of the patient-centric modality of healthcare. Many modifications were carried out in the structure based on patient inputs. Informal discussions with discharged patients and relatives revealed that the human-centric approach was the mainstay of the therapy.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Hospitals , Humans , IndiaABSTRACT
Hospitals and health-care institutions need to plan the resources required for handling the increased load, i.e., beds and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic. BaBSim.Hospital, an open-source tool for capacity planning based on discrete event simulation, was developed over the last year to support doctors, administrations, health authorities, and crisis teams in Germany. To obtain reliable results, 29 simulation parameters such as durations and probabilities must be specified. While reasonable default values were obtained in detailed discussions with medical professionals, the parameters have to be regularly and automatically optimized based on current data. We investigate how a set of parameters that is tailored to the German health system can be transferred to other regions. Therefore, we use data from the UK. Our study demonstrates the flexibility of the discrete event simulation approach. However, transferring the optimal German parameter settings to the UK situation does not work-parameter ranges must be modified. The adaptation has been shown to reduce simulation error by nearly 70%. The simulation-via-optimization approach is not restricted to health-care institutions, it is applicable to many other real-world problems, e.g., the development of new elevator systems to cover the last mile or simulation of student flow in academic study periods. © 2021 European Union
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We describe the models we built for predicting hospital admissions and bed occupancy of COVID-19 patients in the Netherlands. These models were used to make short-term decisions about transfers of patients between regions and for long-term policy making. For forecasting admissions we developed a new technique using linear programming. To predict occupancy we fitted residual lengths of stay and used results from queueing theory. Our models increased the accuracy of and trust in the predictions and helped manage the pandemic, minimizing the impact in terms of beds and maximizing remaining capacity for other types of care.