With hospitals in hardest-hit areas clamoring for clinicians, supplies, and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, SCCM has been working with other nonprofits and corporations to answer the hospitals' call for help. SCCM partnered with Direct Relief to send ICU kits that included more than 86,000 units of essential pharmaceuticals to hospitals in New York and South Dakota.
With hospitals in hardest-hit areas clamoring for clinicians, supplies, and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) has been working with other nonprofit organizations and corporations to answer their call for help.
Having an established network of trusted partnerships on both the donor and hospital sides, SCCM was able to locate needed supplies such as drugs and equipment and match them to donor hospitals and ICUs with the most need. SCCM’s long-established call-for-volunteers process was also used to support clinician shortages.
SCCM identified New York City Health + Hospitals and Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center in South Dakota as two hospital systems significantly impacted by patient surges related to COVID-19. SCCM contacted Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center to offer support because of the recent increase in COVID-19 among workers in the meatpacking industry. As the situation worsened in the United States, SCCM then worked closely with New York City Health + Hospitals, who were seeing significant patient surges, to provide more than 300 volunteers who were willing to travel to the state.
As the situation continued to deteriorate, SCCM partnered with Direct Relief to send ICU kits that included more than 86,000 units of essential pharmaceuticals to hospitals in New York and South Dakota. Additionally, more than 100 oxygen concentrators were also shipped to aid in post-acute treatments.
“Direct Relief is deeply grateful for the guidance and expertise of the Society of Critical Care Medicine,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. “We are honored to collaborate with SCCM to distribute these kits to hospitals in areas that are hardest hit. The medications included can help to address some of the secondary complications associated with COVID-19 and fill a gap as drug shortages are being reported across the United States.” Direct Relief continues to coordinate with public health authorities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses globally to provide personal protective equipment and essential medical items to healthcare workers.
“SCCM is supporting critical care professionals on the front lines of the pandemic response through resources, education, research, and other efforts,” added SCCM President Lewis J. Kaplan, MD, FACS, FCCP, FCCM. “We are thankful to have support from organizations like Direct Relief and our industry partners. The Society continues to seek every opportunity to serve and support ICU clinicians, who risk their own lives and make personal sacrifices to care for patients during this pandemic.”
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