One System, Multiple Hospitals: A Unified Paediatric Healthcare System Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

To address severe adult in-patient capacity pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic, 15 community hospitals were mandated to close their in-patient paediatric units (167 beds) and transfer paediatric in-patients to a single paediatric tertiary hospital. The tertiary hospital increased bed capacity through a surge plan activation, while community hospitals redeployed resources to fill the gaps in adult care. Also, 530 patients were transferred solely to increase adult bed capacity during the closure. Several factors enabled the system to function collaboratively. Closures increased the potential adult in-patient capacity by 6,740 bed days and demonstrated an unprecedented system-wide approach to the provision of integrated paediatric care across the region.