In It Together

Physicians Endoscopy participates in the New York readiness efforts during COVID-19 Teresa Chaisson RN, BSN, CNOR, is the Director of Clinical Support L ike other large-scale public health emergencies, the COVID-19 outbreak almost immediately resulted in an overwhelming demand for healthcare resources, such as medical staff, personal protective equipment, and To work well, though, resource allocation requires out-of-the-box thinking and willingness to share. at Physicians Endoscopy (PE). She can be reached at tchaisson@ endocenters.com. care centers. The demand surge threatened to wipe out To slow the torrent of new Andrew medical supply stockpiles, stretch hospitals beyond capacity, and leave healthcare workers exhausted and vulnerable to infection. Resource allocation and willingness to share are the only ways to ensure that healthcare workers have the COVID-19 cases in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a number of executive orders that allowed medical Castaldi, CPA, MBA, is the Vice President of Operations for the New resources they need to outlast the virus. professionals and practices York and New Resource allocation plays an important role in mitigating demand surge; protecting healthcare workers; and controlling the spread of coronavirus by providing access to the healthcare professionals, tools, testing, medicines, and to provide care and medical services/supplies in new and innovative ways. The orders allowed doctors and nurses Jersey Market at Physicians Endoscopy (PE). He can be reached at acastaldi@ endocenters.com. facilities necessary to provide advanced care to very large from other states or Canada to practice in New York without numbers of very sick people. fear of penalties related to licensure, for example, and relaxed

Allocating large numbers of these resources swiftly and some of the rules about moving medical supplies and drugs efficiently can help mitigate the resulting demand surge. to alleviate temporary shortages. Allocating resources effectively can prevent millions of At about the same time, the Centers for Medicare & infections and save tens of thousands of lives. Resource Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its “CMS Hospitals allocation also ensures that other essential health services, without Walls” initiative that allows hospitals to provide such as cancer care, have the resources they need to hospital services in other healthcare facilities and locations continue operating during a public health emergency. not typically used to provide patient care. This policy makes it

possible to send recovering COVID-19 patients to other facilto the New York State Department of Health and is making ities, such as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), to create its stock at PE centers available for hospitals in need. more room at hospitals for patients who need acute care. Taking these unprecedented steps helps the medical professionals, leaders, and people of New York allocate the Anticipating the Unexpected resources they need to manage the flood of existing COVIDCooperation and coordination are the cornerstones of 19 patients and stem the tide of new cases. resource allocation—and of medicine—during a pandemic. As with most public health emergencies of this magnitude, it has Physicians Endoscopy Joins the Fight required a team effort to resolve unexpected and complicated situations that came with the coronavirus outbreak. Chaisson Physicians Endoscopy (PE) joined the massive resource presented two examples of how PE has stepped in and offered allocation effort to fight the novel coronavirus. PE provides its services to contribute to this effort: integrated business strategies and insights to GI specialists “In New York, we were getting news that COVID-positive and healthcare partners to help practices, ASCs, and patients were going to be readmitted into nursing homes, ancillary services grow and thrive. PE specializes in the which would obviously be increasing the risk for those in development and management of free-standing, singlethe facilities who weren’t infected. We wanted to help, so specialty endoscopic ASCs through strategic partnerships we reached out and stated that we had 15-plus ASCs [then and aligned investments with practicing physicians, health closed for business due to coronavirus] in New York that we systems, and hospitals. could use in some fashion so that the patients didn’t go back

Like many others in healthcare, PE offered its services into the nursing homes. They wound up finding another place to the battle against COVID-19. Teresa Chaisson, Director to take these patients, but that’s one example of where Physiof Clinical Support Implementation at PE, and Andrew cians Endoscopy has been ready to help the cause. Castaldi, Vice President of Operations at PE, served on the “Another example is that we had an email from the front lines. The pair has since been working diligently to help Ambulatory Surgery Center Association saying a hospital in PE-partnered hospitals, centers, and Yonkers was in dire need of Propofol for center employees prepare for the worst “No matter what this pandemic patients who needed to be intubated. If in the face of this pandemic. They have also been contributing to the overall throws at us, we’ll figure out a they didn’t have this medication, it would set off a cascade of negative effects. effort to keep New York hospitals solution—that’s what we do on The troops got together, and people above water as patients flood in. New York State was one of the a daily basis, and we’ve carried were even willing to drive to Yonkers themselves to deliver it. It turned out world’s hot spots for COVID-19. In it through this difficult time.” that the shipment came in two hours fact, the state claimed the unfortunate distinction of having more cases of coronavirus than any other country – Andrew Castaldi, Vice President of Operations at Physicians Endoscopy later, so the crisis was averted, but the offer was there, and it was amazing to see such collaboration in such a short outside of the United States on April amount of time.” 8, 2020. The influx of patients bombarded hospitals at While the effort the PE team is making is not necessarily unprecedented levels and stretched hospital staffing to its glamorous, they have met their goals to facilitate the care prolimit. PE is working toward supporting its partnered hospitals vided to COVID-19 patients and to ensure that their centers are with the staff they need to continue providing care. as fully prepared as possible under the current circumstances.

PE is also working hard to get hospitals the personal “If I could describe in one word what we’re striving for, it’s protective equipment (PPE) essential to control the spread facilitation, being the person who can be called in case someof coronavirus. PPE includes gowns and masks, such as the thing comes up. No matter what this pandemic throws at us, N-95 masks that filter 95% of airborne particles. CBS News we’ll figure out a solution—that’s what we do on a daily basis, calls N-95 masks “the coin of the realm in this crisis,” but and we’ve carried it through this difficult time,” said Castaldi. notes that “gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields, [and] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, PE stepped surgical masks [are] all PPE designed to be discarded after up and stood out as a contributing member of the medical every encounter with an infected patient.” community. “Physicians Endoscopy has put forth every

Because they are treating a huge number of patients and effort to support this national crisis, and I’m very proud throwing away their protective gear in between cases, many of the work that’s been done here. I won’t lie; this has been hospitals are running short of PPE. A number of PE-partnered an experience that I’ll be glad to have as a distant memory, centers donated PPE to help keep healthcare workers and but we’re managing, we’re in it, and we’ll get through it,” patients safe. PE also submitted an updated list of inventories said Chaisson.