Application of Healthcare Networking in COVID 19 - A Brief Report

Healthcare systems all over the world are stretched out and being reconfigured to deal with COVID 19 pandemic. Some countries have flattened the curve, some are still fighting to survive it and others are embracing the second wave. Globally, there is an urgent need to increase the resilience, capacity and capability of healthcare systems to deal with the current crisis and improve upon the future responses. The epidemiological burden of COVID 19 has led to rapid exhaustion of local response resources and massive disruption to the delivery of care in many countries. Healthcare networking and liaison are essential component in disaster management and public health emergencies. It aims to provide logistical support between hospitals; financial support through local or regional governmental & nongovernmental agencies for response; manpower & mechanism for coordination and to implement policies, procedures and technologies in the event of such crisis.This brief report describes how four independent private hospitals in northern India had adopted the principles of healthcare networking, pooled their resources, and scaled up one of the partner hospitals as Dedicated COVID 19 Hospital (DCH) to treat moderate to severe category of COVID 19 patients. It brings out the importance of a unique coalition between private and public healthcare system.