As the state of Maryland continues into this pandemic of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Maryland Trauma Centers have been preparing for the high-volume influx of expected patients over the next several weeks. We are ready! Our trauma centers have had to adjust our staffing schedules to optimize the care that we provide while ensuring that our surgeons, critical care intensivists, fellows, residents, students, nurses, respiratory therapists, techs and other staff remain healthy and safe. Resources are being utilized to treat COVID patients in many areas of our hospital systems. This is consistent with our statewide commitment to provide optimal trauma care for every Maryland citizen. We are ready! Hospitals are planning for a severe overload of patients seeking care in our Emergency Departments. Many centers are facing reductions in operating room availability, and the conversion of new spaces to accommodate ICU beds. We are expecting to be filled to capacity with critical COVID patients, and our hospital’s infrastructures will be tested like never before. We are ready!
We are anticipating these needs and assessing our readiness minute by minute. Governor Hogan is advocating for the state of Maryland at a national level. Over the next several weeks, we anticipate being in desperate need of items like Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our trauma teams and other providers. We anticipate shortages in the blood supply. We expect that our trauma teams will work harder than they have ever imagined as many physicians are pulled from their routine trauma care duties to provide critical care to patients on ventilators in our intensive care units (ICUs). We have trained for this and we are ready!
If you, your family or community are looking for ways to help in this global pandemic, Maryland’s trauma centers have set up websites for you to visit and make donations. Through these sites, you may also be able to support local businesses by feeding our trauma teams, donating blood or offering much needed PPE and other supplies. Please click on the links below to find out more of what you can do. Please help us to be ready!
Thank you from the Maryland TraumaNet Executive Team
James Gannon MS, RN, CEN
Maryland TraumaNet, Communications Chair
Trauma Program Manager, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore
