Dr. Diaz Explains Providence Response with NEJM

In an interview with the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. George Diaz, chief of infectious diseases at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, explains how Providence responded to the first U.S. COVID-19 patient.

“Within 24 hours of the first patient arriving, we updated our electronic medical record to begin screening patients for possible coronavirus infection based on travel history, and by 5 p.m. the next day, all of our hospitals, ERs, urgent care clinics, outpatient clinics, any other ancillary clinics, were all screening patients looking for possible additional patients who could be Covid-positive based on their epidemiological risk.”

From a 24-hour turnaround period for electronic medical record support to a robust and operational coronavirus telehealth program, Dr. Diaz describes how these efforts have helped to ensure patient and staff safety, preserve PPE supply, and prevent exceeding capacity despite large increases in patient volume.