While the impact of the novel coronavirus is already being felt nearby in Westchester, on March 13, the first patient of the Department of Ob/Gyn at NYP/CUIMC test positive for COVID-19. Providers and staff struggle to understand the behavior and rapid spread of the virus and how best to care for patients, while ensuring safety for everyone. Behind the scenes, our operations and IT teams work overtime to prepare for a swift transition to remote work for all nonessential employees to curtail further spread of the virus. The situation develops rapidly, with policies and procedures evolving daily and sometimes hourly. In order to keep all members of the department informed, we begin holding daily Zoom calls at 4:30 p.m., with updates from all inpatient and outpatient practice sites.
March 11
The department organizes daily check-in calls to share updates and developments. The calls help disseminate vital information and offer a morale boost during a stressful time.
The World Health Organization officially declares COVID-19 a pandemic.
President Trump imposes new restrictions on foreign travelers from 26 countries in Europe.
March 12
The department begins the process of transitioning to remote work. Many employees have never telecommuted previously, but the IT team coordinates system and software upgrades and works with operations to ensure as little interruption as possible.
March 13
The first pregnant patient in the NYP/CUIMC system tests positive for COVID-19. Providers carefully monitor the patient’s condition, reporting their findings from the case and others in a study published later this month.
President Trump declares national state of emergency.
March 15
Medical student clerkships and rotations in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons are suspended. Some students are asked to remain available for noncontact clinical roles, such as triage and telemedicine.
I begin learning about COVID-19 before it is even officially on our radar, as I manage my healthy, 43-year-old brother Devon, my only sibling, with an illness that behaves like nothing I had ever seen.
On Friday, March 6, I send an email to staff sharing some minor changes. We cancel patient tours and childbirth classes and recommend watching a donning/doffing video, and I close with a promise to keep everyone posted as this situation “continues to evolve quickly.” I have no idea where this is headed. I feel uncertain and afraid—afraid for my own family, afraid for all of us, and afraid for our patients.
I begin learning anything that I can to understand this new and terrifying disease and thinking critically about how to best keep everyone safe. Because safety is what I do—right? On March 11, I send the first of a series of daily emails designed to share our developing plans for obstetric care during a pandemic. We quickly begin meeting as multidisciplinary teams and conduct drills to prepare as best we can. On March 13, we have our first COVID-19+ pregnant patient, and we learn together how to care for her as her illness progresses.
Dena Goffman, MD, Chief of Obstetrics at NYP/CUIMC and Associate Chief Quality Officer at NYP