Use of a unique mobile medical asset in covid monoclonal antibody treatment

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent surge of patients presented to emergency departments has forever changed the paradigm of delivering emergency care. The highly infectious nature of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19, mandated strict environmental changes, novel patient care, and flexible strategies to continue to deliver efficient emergency care while maintaining appropriate physical distancing between suspect and non-suspect COVID-19 patients. The engagement of a unique rapidly deployable Mobile Satellite Emergency Department (MSED) with scalable capability from prompt care to resuscitation level allowed the emergency care team to optimize patient care and throughput. The MSED was strategically located adjacent to the ambulance en-trance. While initially deployed to increase Emergency Department surge capacity, the MSED was repurposed to cohort and treat COVID patients with the monoclonal antibody, Bamlanivimab, who were expected to be discharged after treatment. This allowed for more efficient use of Emergency Department resources, including physical space and staffing.