Management of COVID-19 during the second wave at a tertiary care public hospital in Eastern India: An experience from the administrative control room.

Abstract

Though many arrangements had been made during the first wave, multiple complaints were reported regarding the arrangements made for COVID patients. The control room was set up as a 24 × 7 administrative coordination center to attend to issues after the initial setup of COVID units. To identify the major problems reported to the control room during the second wave of COVID-19 and find the related cause for the same. Issues reported to the control room were recorded from April to June (2021). The control room residents were asked to allocate each problem into six categories. Next, the residents allotted a frequency score to each of the problems depending on how regularly it was reported. Secondary data from various reports were also considered. Data were analyzed using MS Excel software. Various administrative issues were identified to be due to issues in communication and coordination (23%), policy and procedures (22%), human resource and training (16%), administration and implementation (15%), infrastructure (14%), and HMIS and IT (10%). Most frequent problems reported to the control room were related to infrastructure, policy implementation, and manpower training. After the initial implementation of new processes, there was a requirement for regular follow-up and coordination. This model of setting up an administrative control room and evidence-based approach will serve as a template for public hospitals to ensure coordination of hospital operations.