COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and mitigation plan: Department of internal medicine experience from a clinical perspective

Assim A Alfadda; Abdulrazaq Albilali; Eman Alqurtas; Abdullah Alharbi; Aishah Ekhzaimy; Taim Muayqil; Mohamed Bedaiwi; Mazin Barry; Nahla Azzam; Abdulrahman Aljebreen; Arthur Isnani; Ahmed Bahammam; Ahmed Bin Nasser; Thamer Nouh; Musa Alzahrani; Khalid Alsaleh; Talal Alfaadhel; Naif Alotaibi; Khalid Alayed; Mohammad Alkhowaiter

doi:10.4103/jnsm.jnsm_109_20

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Year : 2021 \| Volume : 4 \| Issue : 1 \| Page : 16-24

COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and mitigation plan: Department of internal medicine experience from a clinical perspective Assim A Alfadda¹, Abdulrazaq Albilali², Eman Alqurtas², Abdullah Alharbi², Aishah Ekhzaimy², Taim Muayqil², Mohamed Bedaiwi², Mazin Barry², Nahla Azzam², Abdulrahman Aljebreen², Arthur Isnani³, Ahmed Bahammam⁴, Ahmed Bin Nasser⁵, Thamer Nouh⁶, Musa Alzahrani⁷, Khalid Alsaleh⁷, Talal Alfaadhel², Naif Alotaibi², Khalid Alayed², Mohammad Alkhowaiter² ¹ Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University; Obesity Research Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University; Strategic Center for Diabetes Research, College of Medicine, King Saud University; The Strategic Technologies Program of the National Plan for Sciences and Technology Innovation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ² Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ³ Obesity Research Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University; The Strategic Technologies Program of the National Plan for Sciences and Technology Innovation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; The University Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ⁵ Department of Orthopedics, College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia ⁶ Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and King Saud University, Saudi Arabia ⁷ Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh; Oncology Center, King Saud University Medical City, Saudi Arabia Correspondence Address: Assim A Alfadda Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and King Saud University, Medical City, Obesity Research Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Strategic Center for Diabetes Research, College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925, Riyadh 11461 Saudi Arabia Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None DOI: 10.4103/jnsm.jnsm_109_20

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, timing and preparedness for healthcare facilities are fundamental. This descriptive article narrates the Department of Internal Medicine at the College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) response before and during the COVID-19 outbreak by focusing on the preparedness and mitigation plans the department implemented for its clinical services. A COVID-19 taskforce was created to implement the pathways for healthcare workers' workflow organization, plan the effective use of isolation facilities and personal protective equipment, and enhance liaisons between departments in the medical city. Telehealth was utilized for outpatient services, and medications were delivered to patients via courier. Aerosol-generating procedures were conducted after thoroughly reviewing the clinical indications and time-related risks. Medical day unit services followed a strict multistep screening protocol and rescheduled nonurgent investigations and therapeutics when possible. The Department of Internal Medicine prepandemic preparedness helped significantly mitigate the pandemic impact on KSUMC. Prioritizing in-hospital clinical care according to the patients' conditions, full adherence to infection control measures, clear and efficient communication between departments, and utilizing telehealth were the key elements in maintaining state-of-the-art clinical care during the pandemic.



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