Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong ML(1), Wong WY(1), Wan YL(1), Cheong HY(1), Ng HK(1), Wong PL(1), Tam WW(1), Lau TY(1), Chan CK(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine & Geriatrics, Caritas Medical Centre
Introduction :
In response to the explosive outbreak of COVID-19 in February, 2022, all confirmed COVID-19 cases were isolated in hospitals to minimize the risk of community transmission as part of the pandemic control measures. However, these containment measures have imposed an increased burden to our hospital. To avoid overcrowding in our hospital, it is important to triage patients, and to download them to different community isolation facilities (CIF) in a timely manner.
Objectives :
(1) To enable preliminary categorization and display of relevant patient features in CMS.
(2) To assess and screen COVID-19 patients who are meeting the admission criteria of different CIF through CMS.
(3) To make referral to CIF effectively.
Methodology :
(1) Our department collaborated with Information Technology department and created a new set of IPAS specialty codes in CMS.
(2) We capitalized on the usable 4-digit places in a serial manner to feature the characteristics of COVID-19 patients:
i. M indicating medical case;
ii. 1 indicating independent activity of daily living (ADL), 2 meaning partially dependent in ADL and 3 meaning totally dependent in ADL;
iii. O or H for old-aged home resident or home, and
iv. F indicating fit for discharge or transfer.
(3) Ward nurses were responsible for tagging and updating conditions of all COVID-19 patients admitted during that period to facilitate the CIF referral process.
(4) At-a-glance screening in CMS for referral twice a day was made possible, to enable rapid turnover.
(5) No. of different CIF referral was counted
Result & Outcome :
Our team had made 485 referrals in total to different CIF in late February and March, 2022 and eventually 107 patients were transferred to North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre (HKICC); 63 patients were transferred to Hall 2 of AWE & Shek Kip Mei Park Sports Centre (SKMSC), and 51 patients were transferred to Hall 8 of Asia World-Expo (AWE).
