Team helps healthcare workers use precious resource during COVID-19

Members of Yale New Haven’s PPE Liaison Team recently marked the end of their temporary COVID-19 assignment with a thank you lunch. Team members rounded on COVID-19 units to help manage the supply and proper use of personal protective equipment.

More than 25 clinical staff members from a variety of departments throughout the health system served on Yale New Haven’s PPE Liaison Team. Team members, who normally work in the OR, endocrine surgery, colorectal surgery, and plastic and reconstructive surgery, spent six weeks during the COVID-19 outbreak rounding on COVID-19 units and performing vital functions such as:

• Communicating with and educating front-line staff on frequently changing policies and procedures on personal protective equipment, and educating staff on the use of new PPE items.
  
  
• Helping front-line healthcare workers safely conserve and appropriately recycle PPE for reprocessing. PPE Liaison Team members also coordinated with Infectious Disease, Occupational Health, Environmental Services and other departments on recycling initiatives.
  
  
• Serving as liaisons between Materials Management and the nursing units to establish and adjust PPE quantities as units’ needs changed. The team also helped units return to previous PPE supply types and levels as the number of COVID-19 patients dropped.

On May 15, PPE Liaison Team members marked the end of their temporary assignment with a thank you lunch from Corporate Supply Chain leaders before transitioning back to their primary job responsibilities.

“These team members helped ensure we were making the best use of a precious resource,” said Jacqueline Epright, YNHHS executive director, Corporate Supply Chain Management. “They put themselves at risk to keep their fellow healthcare workers and patients safe.”