Nationwide Clinician Matching System Launched in Response to an Overwhelming Need for Assistance in Current and Emerging COVID-19 Hotspots

The Clinician Matching Network platform, a national-level clearinghouse designed to match qualified medical staff with hospitals and communities overwhelmed by the coronavirus (COVID-19)  pandemic, was launched through the joint efforts of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), and PA Consulting.

In response to the need for additional staffing support for New York City, a call for assistance was issued using the organizations’ communication tools. The response was immediate, with more than 350 clinicians signing up using the CHEST Analytics platform to join forces with their colleagues in New York and helping hospital systems being pushed to the limits find qualified health care providers. The additional staffing made a direct impact on patient care by filling shortages and providing respite to fatigued front line workers.

The positive response from the members shows the willingness of qualified medical staff to assist on the front lines. The benefits of the Clinician Matching Network platform are the ability to eliminate the lag between a clinician submitting their application and getting word about an assignment and reduction of the strain on other application systems in the face of this pandemic. In addition, information collected through the matching network can be verified quickly, reducing the time between application and assignment.

“We felt we had the resources to leverage our CHEST Analytics platform to create a process that would put physicians in hospitals where they could do the most good more efficiently,” said Robert Musacchio, CHEST EVP/CEO. “If we can apply this knowledge in a way that saves lives and supports the front line staff, we have to do it.”

The online platform is a two-way matching system accepting applications from qualified clinicians, as well as health care facilities. Hospitals can specify their needs and their requirements through an online process. Volunteers are then matched accordingly, streamlining the process for the hospitals and sending volunteers to the front lines sooner.

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“We saw the need for this type of system because of New York City, but we anticipate that additional geographic regions will need similar support in the days and weeks ahead. This joint effort allows us to hopefully move ahead of the curve in some places. It’s also giving us a model for how we can increase crisis capacity for hospitals in the future,” said Karen Collishaw, CAE executive director of the ATS.

Qualified clinicians in the position to help alleviate the strain on staffing at hospitals and alternate care facilities can register online by completing a simple form at https://www.chestnet.org/Clinician-Matching. Invitations to apply for volunteer work assignments are already being sent to all members of CHEST and ATS.

In addition, communications will be distributed to hospitals and hospital systems to help identify their staffing needs, encourage them to apply for staffing assistance, and begin the clinician-to-hospital matching process. Health care facilities do not need to wait for an invitation to get support but can register online immediately.

“One of the benefits of the Clinician Matching Network for hospitals is the fact that we have already matched their need to the skills and availability of the clinician. There will be no cross-over resulting in double bookings or mismatches that can use up precious time and resources that are already being stretched,” says Bret Schroeder, Healthcare Provider Lead at PA Consulting.

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