Interprofessional/interdisciplinary teamwork during the early COVID-19 pandemic: experience from a children’s hospital within an academic health center

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has created multiple, complex and intense demands on hospitals, including the need for surge planning in the many locations outside epicenters such as northern Italy or New York City. We here describe such surge planning in an Academic Health Center that encompasses a children’s hospital. Interprofessional teams from every aspect of inpatient care and hospital operations worked to prepare for a COVID-19 surge. In so doing, they successfully innovated ways to integrate pediatric and adult care and maximize bed capacity. The success of this intense collaborative effort offers an opportunity for ongoing teamwork to enhance efficient, effective, and high-quality patient care.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional collaboration
• shared problem solving
• team effectiveness
• multidisciplinary
• partnership

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Contributors statements

Dr. Natale conceptualized and drafted the manuscript and approved the final manuscript as submitted.

Drs. Blumberg, Dimitriades, Hirose, Kair, Kirk, Mateev, McKnight, Plant, Tzimenatos, Wiedeman, Witkowski, Underwood, and Ms. Boehmer critically reviewed the manuscript, and approved the submitted manuscript.

Dr. Lakshminrusimha designed the figure, critically reviewed the manuscript, and approved the submitted manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

No external funding for this manuscript

Notes on contributors

JoAnne E. Natale

JoAnne E. Natale, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics and specialist in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Natale is Director of Quality and Safety for the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

Judie Boehmer

Judie Boehmer, R.N., M.N., N.E.A.-B.C. is an Executive Director of Patient Care Services who directs Children’s and Maternal Health services at UC Davis Medical Center. Ms. Boehmer advocates for high quality, family centered care for children regionally and nationally.

Dean A. Blumberg

Dean A. Blumberg, M.D. in a Professor of Pediatrics and a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Blumberg brings his clinical expertise to the public through podcasts, public service messages, and outreach.

Constantine Dimitriades

Constantine Dimitriades, M.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics and a specialist in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Dimitriades scholarly interests include simulation for emergency response, teamwork, and critical communication.

Shinjiro Hirose

Shinjiro Hirose, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the University of California Davis School of Medicine and Chief of Pediatric General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, as well as the Director UC Davis Fetal Care and Treatment Center at UC Davis Medical Center.

Laura R. Kair

Laura R. Kair, M.D., M.A.S. is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hospitalist in the University of California Davis School of Medicine as well as the Medical Director of the UC Davis Medical Center Newborn Nursery.  Dr. Kair is a UC Davis Women’s Health Scholar in the BIRCWH K12 Program and a breastfeeding researcher.

J. Douglas Kirk

James D. Kirk, M.D. is the Chief Medical Officer at UC Davis Medical Center. Dr. Kirk is a Fellow in both the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Stephanie N. Mateev

Stephanie N. Mateev, M.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics and specialist in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Mateev is the Medical Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and the ECMO Program at UC Davis Medical Center.

Heather McKnight

Heather McKnight, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of Pediatric Hospitalist Medicine in the University of California Davis School of Medicine.

Jennifer Plant

Jennifer Plant, M.D., M.Ed. is a Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Plant is an education scholar, mentor, and fellowship director.

Leah S. Tzimenatos

Leah S. Tzimenatos, M.D. is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Tzimenatos research interests include patient safety and sedation management.

Jean T. Wiedeman

Jean T. Wiedeman, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Pediatrics and a specialist in Pediatric Infectious Disease in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Wiedeman guides antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention program for the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

Jessica Witkowski

Jessica Witkowski, M.D. is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hospitalist in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. At the Medical Director of Pediatric Acute Care Units, Dr. Witkowski leads clinical quality improvement initiatives focused on safe discharge, family centered rounds, and early sepsis management.

Mark A. Underwood

Mark Underwood, M.D., M.A.S. is a Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of Neonatology in the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Underwood research focuses on the gut microbiome and prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants.

Satyan Lakshminrusimha

Satyan Lakshminrusimha, M.D. is the Dennis and Nancy Marks Chair and Professor of Pediatrics in the University of California Davis School of Medicine the and Pediatrician-in-Chief of the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.  Dr. Satyan is a neonatologist, neonatal resuscitation and pulmonary resuscitation investigator, and an illustrator.