Stephen Parodi, MD, tells FierceHealthcare that multipronged strategy is needed to suppress coronavirus

Stephen Parodi, MD, national infectious disease leader for Kaiser Permanente, commented in FierceHealthcare on Kaiser Permanente’s multipronged COVID-19 suppression strategy, which was outlined in an NEJM Catalyst article earlier this week. That strategy includes 8 key capabilities health systems need to consider as the country reopens.

“I think one of the biggest takeaways here is that we need a complete and comprehensive approach to suppress the virus,” Dr. Parodi told FierceHealthcare.

Additional capabilities described in the report include enhanced contact tracing and isolation efforts, robust community health efforts, home health options, the ability for health care organizations to maintain surge capacity, targeted and safe reopening strategies, ongoing research on the virus, and effective communications with patients.

Dr. Parodi, executive vice president of The Permanente Federation, said 2 of the biggest challenges Kaiser Permanente faced in working through this checklist of capabilities were a lack of supplies and the need to work alongside other organizations, including community groups, health systems, and providers.

Achieving the 8 key capabilities also requires coordination between officials and policymakers at all levels of government, Dr. Parodi said. “Having the leaders at individual medical centers working with the county-level folks is really key to making sure that we’re aware of each other’s work and response, then actually syncing them together.”

Note: To read the full article, visit the FierceHealthcare site.