1 8 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 2 0
I
n the midst of the coron-
avirus pandemic, mem-
bers of your surgical
team must wear the right
level of PPE to protect them-
selves from exposure to
COVID-19. Too little protec-
tion, and they'll be unneces-
sarily exposed to the coron-
avirus. Too much, and they'll
burn through precious PPE
supplies in no time.
Joseph D. Forrester, MD,
MSc, a clinical instructor of
surgery at Stanford (Calif.)
Health Care, created an
easy-to-use algorithm
designed to right-size the
level of PPE staff wear
based on the urgency of the
procedure, the risk of the
patient having COVID-19
and the likelihood of the patient transmitting the virus to a mem-
ber of your team.
The algorithm was developed by an interdisciplinary team of stake-
holders who prioritized safe patient care, protecting surgical profes-
sionals and rationing the use of PPE. Dr. Forrester relied on his expe-
Keep the Barrier Intact
Match PPE use to risk factors to maintain adequate supplies.
Safety
Dan Cook | Editor-in-Chief
GOT YOU COVERED Some facilities are requiring staff members to wear
N95 masks throughout the day.
