The novel SARS-CoV-2 pandemic starting in 2019 profoundly changed the world, and thousands of residents of New York City were affected, leading to one of the most acute surges in regional hospital capacity As the largest academic medical center in the Bronx, Montefiore Medical Center was immediately impacted the entire hospital was mobilized to address the needs of its community In this article, we describe our experiences as a large academic anesthesiology department during this pandemic Our goals were to maximize our staff’s expertise, maintain our commitment to wellness and safety, and preserve the quality of patient care Lessons learned include the importance of critical care training presence and leadership, the challenges of converting an ambulatory surgery center to an intensive care unit (ICU) and the management of effective communication Lastly, we provide suggestions for institutions facing an acute surge, or subsequent waves of COVID-19, based on a single-center’s experiences
Adaptation and Restructuring of an Academic Anesthesiology Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City: Challenges and Lessons Learned