title: A conceptual approach to improving care in pandemics and beyond: severe lung injury centers.
abstract: The events of the 2009 influenza pandemic sparked discussion regarding the need to optimize delivery of care to those most severely ill. We propose in this conceptual study that a tiered regionalization care system be instituted for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Such system would be a component of national pandemic plans and could also be used in day-to-day operations.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biosecurity of UPMC, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA. aadalja@upmc-biosecurity.org
authors.forename: Amesh A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adalja
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Waldhorn
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Toner
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000592:standards*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D058873:Pandemics; D012040:Regional Health Planning; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017216:Telemedicine; D014218:Triage; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology