COVID-19 Result Follow-up Process in the Pediatric Emergency Department Setting

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic upended the world. As emergency departments and hospitals across the nation and world braced themselves for the surge of this new disease, the Emergency Department (ED) at Children's National Hospital (CNH) quickly created a process to address surges in patient visits and follow-ups for coronavirus testing. Within two weeks of the first reported pediatric patient diagnosed with COVID-19 in the DC metropolitan area, CNH ED implemented a new comprehensive follow-up process. This article describes the novel process which ensured timely notification of testing results, enabled patients to speak remotely with ED providers, increased patient and staff safety by reducing unnecessary exposures and suggested a good patient experience. With over 1900 patients discharged pending their COVID results, the program is successful. We anticipate expansion into antibody testing and notification as the pandemic progresses.