Modifications to Hepatopancreatobiliary surgical services during COVID-19 partial lockdown in a hospital in northern Malaysia

Hassan R 1 , Nijhar JS 2 , Leow VM 3 , Manisekar S 3

Affiliations 

  • 1 Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Department of Surgery, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. [email protected]
  • 2 Gleneagles Hospital, Penang, Malaysia
  • 3 Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Department of Surgery, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia
Med J Malaysia, 2021 09;76(5):714-717.
PMID: 34508379

Abstract

Maintaining hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) services during the initial phase of a pandemic in a state referral hospital for COVID-19 presents a few challenges, especially when a nationwide, government-issued partial lockdown is in enforcement. We describe the adaptations to our practice to maintain the services whilst ensuring safety of patients and staff, by postponing non-urgent clinic cases, grouping our staff to two mutually exclusive teams that work on alternate shifts and selecting HPB operative cases according to the modified Risk Urgency Decision Matrix.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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