Unconventional Care at a Convention Center: An Overview of Patient Focused Care at a COVID-19 Alternative Care Site in New Orleans

Authors

• Meghan E. Maslanka, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
• J.C. Carlson, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
• E. Gershanik, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
• Y. Turang, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Medical Monitoring Station, New Orleans, LA
• J. Hurwitz, Louisiana Department of Health, Baton Rouge, LA
• M. Warren, Louisiana Department of Health, New Orleans, LA
• J. Kanter, Louisiana Department of Health, Baton Rouge, LA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-3-2021

Publication Title

Disaster medicine and public health preparedness

Abstract

In March 2020, the State of Louisiana opened an alternative care site at the New Orleans Convention Center, known as the Medical Monitoring Station (MMS). The facility was designed, constructed, and staffed to serve a population with basic medical needs as they recovered from COVID-19. As the MMS prepared to open, local hospitals indicated a greater need for assistance with patients requiring a higher acuity of care and populations unable to be discharged due to infection risks. In response to this, the capabilities of the facility were altered to accommodate primarily elderly patients, with significant comorbidities, requiring extensive care. This manuscript presents the demographics of the first 250 patients seen at the MMS, and describes the most critical policies/protocols, interventions, and resources that proved successful in adjusting to effectively serve its population.

First Page

2612

Last Page

2618

PubMed ID

33938420

Volume

16

Issue

6

Rights

© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

Recommended Citation

Maslanka, Meghan E.; Carlson, J.C.; Gershanik, E.; Turang, Y.; Hurwitz, J.; Warren, M.; and Kanter, J., "Unconventional Care at a Convention Center: An Overview of Patient Focused Care at a COVID-19 Alternative Care Site in New Orleans" (2021). School of Medicine Faculty Publications. 4759.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/som_facpubs/4759
10.1017/dmp.2021.138