SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Cross-Border Covid Response as a Template for Inter-Hospital Support

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This document describes a cross-border, clinician-led response to a COVID-19 surge in the Tijuana region as a model for inter-hospital support. UC San Diego began treating COVID-19 patients in February 2020 and quickly developed surge capacity and treatment protocols. By April, a hospital in Tijuana was at risk of being overwhelmed, but formal assistance had stalled because of weak organization, limited leadership, and hesitation from some officials.<br /><br />In response, UCSD physicians and nurses, Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, and the county medical society launched a grassroots effort to support the hospital. The initiative later expanded to include hospitals in Mexicali and El Centro. Starting in May 2020, volunteer interdisciplinary teams—physicians, nurses, interpreters, and respiratory therapists—crossed the border seven days a week for four weeks. They provided ICU training, identified equipment gaps, and recommended improvements in care.<br /><br />These in-person efforts were followed by weekly Tele-ICU sessions and occasional return visits to all three hospitals. The program improved staff confidence in evidence-based care: 62% of U.S. onsite staff felt patients were receiving evidence-based care before Tele-ICU support, rising to 81% afterward. A WhatsApp group helped coordinate physician communication, and patient transfers were arranged from Mexican hospitals to the AMC when needed.<br /><br />The authors conclude that hospitals do not operate in isolation and that nearby system failures—whether from pandemics, ransomware attacks, or financial problems—can affect surrounding facilities. They argue that stronger cross-hospital and cross-border collaboration is needed, and that digital tools like Tele-ICU can help overcome regulatory, financial, and cultural barriers. Importantly, the initiative shows that effective collaboration can be driven by frontline clinicians, not only hospital leadership.

Asset Subtitle

Matthew Allen

Meta Tag

Author List Andres Smith, Jess Mandel, Matthew Allen, Tim Morris, Venktesh Ramnath

Category Innovations

Concept Grassroots Collaboration

Concept Volunteer ICU Teams

Concept Clinician-Led Initiative

Concept Cross-Border Collaboration

Concept Overwhelmed Hospitals

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization UC San Diego School of Medicine

Presenting Author Matthew Allen

Track Other

Keywords

COVID-19

cross-border collaboration

Tijuana

Tele-ICU

surge capacity

inter-hospital support

ICU training

clinician-led response

Mexico

evidence-based care

Grassroots Collaboration

Volunteer ICU Teams

Clinician-Led Initiative

Cross-Border Collaboration

Overwhelmed Hospitals