Surge capacity of intensive care units in case of acute increase in demand caused by COVID-19 in Australia.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To assess the capacity of intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia to respond to the expected increase in demand associated with COVID-19.

Design

Analysis of Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) registry data, supplemented by an ICU surge capability survey and veterinary facilities survey (both March 2020).

Settings

All Australian ICUs and veterinary facilities.

Main outcome measures

Baseline numbers of ICU beds, ventilators, dialysis machines, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines, intravenous infusion pumps, and staff (senior medical staff, registered nurses); incremental capability to increase capacity (surge) by increasing ICU bed numbers; ventilator-to-bed ratios; number of ventilators in veterinary facilities.

Re

SUBMITTER: Litton E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7264562 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature