Combatting COVID-19 : FSR delivers innovative and often complex staffing solutions to assist improving patient outcomes in the federal government’s extensive health system. We applaud the efforts of the Veterans Affairs in their agility and innovative solutions with the healthcare needs of Veterans during COVID-19.
One of the difficulties in treating patients during the unprecedent COVID-19 pandemic has been overwhelmed healthcare facilities and workers in hot spot areas facing unsustainable surges of patient demand. Other areas have remained quiet with relatively few cases even within the same state.
For decades mobile health units have cared for the wounded and injured in battlefields across the world. The COVID-19 crisis has become a new battlefield with its own need for solutions. The Veterans Health Affairs developed a mobile unit to help address some of these challenges by parlaying battlefield logistic solutions to the healthcare system supporting veterans.
The mobile ICU developed by the VHA can be used not only for COVID, but also if a natural disaster sends an overwhelming number of patients to a VA facility. This mobile ICU Fold-out Rigid Temporary Shelters (FORTS) system is currently located at the Hines VA Hospital in Chicago.
The unit can be packed into a 747 or driven by semi-trailer to a location and set up in under three days. The units are self-contained and support 30 beds, telemedicine, x-ray equipment, and decontamination systems. Since some sites could be in remote locations, the mobile ICU has medical grade oxygen, water-generation, and its own electricity.
“We are incredibly proud of this prototype,” said Dr. Richard A. Stone, VHA Executive in charge. “We set up the unit at Hines to relieve the pressure from COVID-19. We are thankful to our people who have done a great job in staffing the unit. It can now be deployed across the system to wherever it is needed.”
If your organization needs healthcare solutions, contact FSR at [email protected] or call 410-990-0795.