Deployment and Operation of Outdoor Treatment Tents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spread throughout the globe, with an alarming amount of new cases daily. To prepare for the inevitable patient surge, 1 hospital set up outdoor triage tents to assist with increased volume. Using the paradigm of space, staff, and stuff, an outdoor treatment area was designed and placed into operation. The patient volume in the treatment tents quickly grew with a 1-d max volume of 88 patients. Through the end of May 2020, a total of 2473 patients were seen and evaluated. As COVID-19 continues to spread and new areas of the United States and the world see spikes, it is imperative for the hospitals that previously dealt with a surge to disseminate the best practices they have learned during the pandemic.