Since the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States erupted in March, HealthLeaders has published more than 70 clinical care stories on the outbreak.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been the most momentous clinical care story of the year.
Here are the Top 10 HealthLeaders clinical care COVID-19 stories so far in 2020:
1. Healthcare worker mental health: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health needs of healthcare workers should not be overlooked, a disaster response expert says.
2. Home-based medical care: The coronavirus pandemic has increased demand for home-based medical care, according to the chief medical officer of Landmark Health.
3. Infection prevention: After months of grappling with the novel coronavirus, infection preventionists have developed several best practices for tackling the germ, the president-elect of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology says.
4. Respiratory therapists: With respiratory distress common among seriously ill coronavirus patients, respiratory therapists are at the tip of the spear on the pandemic frontline.
5. Preparing for a surge: WakeMed Health & Hospitals was spared a dramatic impact in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic and is ready if a second wave hits.
6. Managing a surge: It was a nightmare scenario. Emergency rooms were overwhelmed with coronavirus patients—sick patients walking through the door and dozens of seriously ill boarded patients awaiting inpatient beds. In some metropolis hospitals, demand for ICU beds exceeded supply.
7. Alternative to ventilator care: Nasal high flow therapy is a less invasive alternative to ventilator care for many seriously ill coronavirus patients, UnityPoint Health experts say.
8. Care rationing: In addition to ventilators, there are four primary care rationing scenarios during the coronavirus pandemic, a bioethicist says.
9. Life support: After all other conventional treatments have failed, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life support can be a coronavirus patient's last hope for recovery.
10. Rural hospitals: In response to the coronavirus pandemic, an Indiana-based rural hospital succeeded in boosting staff, increasing bed space, and securing essential equipment such as ventilators.
Christopher Cheney is the CMO editor at HealthLeaders.