Building of Pediatric COVID-19 Module Clinic: A Novel Operation Model in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
- Author:
Young June CHOE
1
;
Jue Seong LEE
;
Yoon LEE
;
Kyu Hyun PARK
;
Young YOO
;
Gi-Jung IM
;
Sung Woo LEE
;
Jun Eun PARK
Author Information
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science 2023;38(13):e96-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: In mid-2022, as the wave of pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases escalated in South Korea, a public-private partnership was made to establish a Pediatric COVID-19 Module Clinic (PMC). We describe the utilization of the first prototype children’s modular clinic in Korea University Anam Hospital functioning as the COVID-19 PMC. Between August 1 and September 30, 2022, a total of 766 children visited COVID-19 PMC. Daily number of patient visits to the COVID-19 PMC ranged between 10 and 47 in August; and less than 13 patients per day in September 2022. Not only the model provided timely care for the COVID-19 pediatric patients, but it also enabled safe and efficacious care for the non-COVID-19 patients in the main hospital building while minimizing exposure risk to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission. Current description highlights the importance of spatial measures for mitigating in-hospital transmission of COVID-19, in specifically on pediatric care.
