Table 1.

Strategic Emergency Operational Plan (EOP) designed for the COVID-19 response. Hospital das Clinicas, São Paulo, Brazil, 2020.

Implementation phase	Aims	Actions	Timeframe
Preparedness	To establish an emergency continuity plan	Development of the EOP	Ongoing since January 2020
	To adapt the hospital structure for critical patients	Building the necessary capabilities needed to implement such plans
	To recruit and train HCW in the novel care provision model	Hiring HCW and providing comprehensive training	Ongoing since March 2020
	To assess availability of necessary staff, equipment, and supplies	Predicting increase in the number of beds for ICU patients	Ongoing since February 2020
	To explore alternative sources of personnel, and critical equipment and supplies	Building partnerships and fund-raising initiatives
	To develop monitoring and evaluation tools	Tracking emergency operation costs
Response	To implement the action plan	Running full emergency operation in parallel to routine hospital care	Ongoing since March 2020
	To maintain non-COVID-19 emergency care
Recovery	To develop a progressive demobilization plan	Establishing measures to restore the hospital to its previous state	Ongoing since mid-August 2020
	To restore the affected area to its previous state - “build back better"	Establishing a transition governance board
		Recognition of staff performance and commitment
	To evaluate results of the emergency operation	Assessment of clinical outcomes during the emergency crisis
Mitigation	To reduce impact and risks of COVID-19 on the hospital	Assessing development of the EOP	Ongoing since February 2020
	To mitigate unneeded disruption of services	Decision to have a designated hospital for COVID-19 patient care
	To strengthen capacity to maintain regular operation	Transfer of regular services to other hospital institutes
	To sustain action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to patients, HCW and hospital	Development of a long term and continuous plan	Ongoing since March 2020

HCW: healthcare workers; Source/Notes: SOURCE – authors, adapted from California Emergency Medical Services Authority.⁵