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. 2024 Jan 16;5(1):e13093.
doi: 10.1002/emp2.13093. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Pediatric capacity crisis: A framework and strategies to prepare for a pediatric surge

Diana M Bongiorno  1 , Miranda Ravicz  2 , Nicole L Nadeau  3 , Kenneth A Michelson  4 , Elizabeth R Alpern  5 , Sage R Myers  6 , Margaret E Samuels-Kalow  1
Affiliations

Pediatric capacity crisis: A framework and strategies to prepare for a pediatric surge

Diana M Bongiorno et al. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. .

Abstract

A pediatric capacity crisis developed across the country in the Fall and Winter of 2022 due to a combination of factors, including a surge in respiratory viruses, staffing shortages, and historical closures of inpatient pediatric units. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated surge in critically ill adult patients demonstrated that health care systems and health care workers can quickly implement creative and collaborative system-wide solutions to deliver the best care possible during a capacity crisis. Similar solutions are needed to respond to future surges in pediatric volume and to maintain a high standard of care during such a surge. This paper aims to build upon insights from the COVID-19 and H1N1 pandemic responses and the 2022 pediatric capacity crisis. We provide specific recommendations addressing governmental/policy, hospital/health care system, and individual clinician strategies that can be implemented to manage future surges in pediatric patient volume.

Keywords: capacity crisis; health care systems; pediatrics; policy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose.

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