Evolving oxygenation management reasoning in COVID-19

Link to article at PubMed

Diagnosis (Berl). 2020 Aug 20:/j/dx.ahead-of-print/dx-2020-0099/dx-2020-0099.xml. doi: 10.1515/dx-2020-0099. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The initial phase of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the United States saw rapidly-rising patient volumes along with shortages in personnel, equipment, and intensive care unit (ICU) beds across many New York City hospitals. As our hospital wards quickly filled with unstable, hypoxemic patients, our hospitalist group was forced to fundamentally rethink the way we triaged and managed cases of hypoxemic respiratory failure. Here, we describe the oxygenation protocol we developed and implemented in response to changing norms for acuity on inpatient wards. By reflecting on lessons learned, we re-evaluate the applicability of these oxygenation strategies in the evolving pandemic. We hope to impart to other providers the insights we gained with the challenges of management reasoning in COVID-19.

PMID:32827395 | DOI:10.1515/dx-2020-0099

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *