Malaysia has one of the highest total numbers of COVID-19 infections amongst the Southeast Asian nations,which led to the enforcements of the Malaysian"Movement Control Order"to prohibit disease transmission...Malaysia has one of the highest total numbers of COVID-19 infections amongst the Southeast Asian nations,which led to the enforcements of the Malaysian"Movement Control Order"to prohibit disease transmission.The overwhelming increasing amount of infections has led to a major strain on major healthcare services.This leads to shortages in hospital beds,ventilators and critical personnel protective equipment.This article focuses on the critical adaptations from a general surgery department in Malaysia which is part of a Malaysian tertiary hospital that treats COVID-19 cases.The core highlights of these strategies enforced during this pandemic are:(1)surgery ward and clinic decongestions;(2)deferment of elective surgeries;(3)restructuring of medical personnel work force;(4)utilization of online appli cations for tele-communication;(5)operating room(OR)adjustments and patient screening;and(6)continuing medical education and updating practices in context to COVID-19.These adaptations were important for the continuation of emergency surgery services,preventing transmission of COVID-19 amongst healthcare workers and optimization of medical personnel work force in times of a global pandemic.In addition,an early analysis on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures in Malaysia towards the reduction in total number of elective/emergent/trauma surgeries performed is described in this article.展开更多
基金We would like to thank the Director General of Health Malaysia for his permission to publish this article(NIH.800-4/4/1Jld.80)(31).
文摘Malaysia has one of the highest total numbers of COVID-19 infections amongst the Southeast Asian nations,which led to the enforcements of the Malaysian"Movement Control Order"to prohibit disease transmission.The overwhelming increasing amount of infections has led to a major strain on major healthcare services.This leads to shortages in hospital beds,ventilators and critical personnel protective equipment.This article focuses on the critical adaptations from a general surgery department in Malaysia which is part of a Malaysian tertiary hospital that treats COVID-19 cases.The core highlights of these strategies enforced during this pandemic are:(1)surgery ward and clinic decongestions;(2)deferment of elective surgeries;(3)restructuring of medical personnel work force;(4)utilization of online appli cations for tele-communication;(5)operating room(OR)adjustments and patient screening;and(6)continuing medical education and updating practices in context to COVID-19.These adaptations were important for the continuation of emergency surgery services,preventing transmission of COVID-19 amongst healthcare workers and optimization of medical personnel work force in times of a global pandemic.In addition,an early analysis on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures in Malaysia towards the reduction in total number of elective/emergent/trauma surgeries performed is described in this article.
