TABLE 2.
Characteristics of COVID-19 RIUs (N = 46 sites)
| Date RIU opened (Date range) | 2/10-4/04 |
|---|---|
| Criteria for admission | n (%) |
|
| |
| Fever | 29 (63) |
| Cough | 28 (61) |
| Dyspnea | 30 (65) |
| Infiltrate pattern | 23 (50) |
| Hypoxemia | 28 (61) |
| Exposure to COVID-19 | 30 (65) |
| Known positive COVID-19 test | 35 (76) |
| Lab abnormalities | 12 (26) |
|
| |
| Geographic localization | n (%) |
|
| |
| Yes | 42 (91) |
| No | 1 (2) |
| Multiple units | 8 (17) |
|
| |
| Number of non–critical care beds on RIU | n (%) |
|
| |
| ≤10 | 1 (2) |
| 11-20 | 5 (11) |
| 21-30 | 14 (30) |
| 31-40 | 4 (9) |
| 41-50 | 7 (15) |
| ≥51 | 11 (24) |
| Unable to estimate | 4 (9) |
|
| |
| Services provided in RIU | n (%) |
|
| |
| Continuous pulse oximetry | 40 (87) |
| Telemetry | 39 (85) |
| Video monitoring for falls | 15 (33) |
| BiPAP/CPAP | 10 (22) |
|
| |
| Clinicians caring for patients in RIU | Mean (SD) |
|
| |
| Number of attending hospitalists (39 responses) | 10.2 (14.3) |
| Number of nonhospitalist physicians (35 responses) | 1.2 (3.0) |
| Number of advanced practice providers (34 responses) | 4.1 (8.3) |
| Number of fellows (34 responses) | 1.3 (4.1) |
| Number of resident physicians (34 responses) | 5.5 (10.5) |
| Medical students (30 responses) | 0 |
|
| |
| Number of planned patients per attending | n (%) |
|
| |
| <5 | 0 |
| 5-10 | 18 (37) |
| 11-15 | 19 (39) |
| 16-20 | 4 (8) |
| Missing | 8 (16) |
|
| |
| Rounding models | n (%) |
|
| |
| MD and RN round separately | 34 (67) |
| Shared rounds with RN, MD general medicine floor–based teams | 12 (26) |
| Shared rounds with RN, MD, and broader specialist teams | 6 (13) |
|
| |
| Medical distancing/minimizing room entry | n (%) |
|
| |
| Timing of meds administration | 35 (76) |
| Video links to patient in room during rounds | 8 (17) |
| Video links to room outside of rounds | 25 (54) |
| Allowing nonbillable notes | 19 (41) |
| RN blood draws rather than separate phlebotomy draws | 17 (37) |
|
| |
| Criteria for discharge from RIU | n (%) |
|
| |
| Negative COVID-19 test | 27 (59) |
| Transitioning to comfort care | 5 (11) |
| Hospital discharge | 26 (57) |
| Meeting clinical improvement criteria | 14 (30) |
Abbreviations: BiPAP, bilevel positive airway pressure; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; ICU, intensive care unit; MD, medical doctor; PPE, personal protective equipment; RIU, respiratory isolation unit; RN, registered nurse.