After a few weeks of doubling down on @covid_x it still blows me away that frontline health care providers had to become their own rapid response teams. Residents are now coders & data scientists. Spouses are researching Tyvek for PPE. Hacks are shared in Whatsapp. Drs. do PSAs.

Nobody wants to break rules and norms. But frontliners are the first to know which rules don't work in a crisis. As we write new rules during the recovery, we must establish a clear understanding of what is “normal” + flexible, common-sense provisions for times of crisis.

A few weeks ago @schlif called me. He had 2 hashtags #RaisetheBar #moreVentsNOW & a mission. Today @CovidVent has an open-source blueprint for converting hospital ORs & ambulatory surgery centers into ICU critical care areas. And we have new rules: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-makes-sweeping-regulatory-changes-help-us-healthcare-system-address-covid-19

When I first spoke to @meganranney she was beating a drum around PPE. I had already spoken to a numerous donation clearinghouses. Everyone had a google form and a spreadsheet. One Saturday there was a conference call and they agreed to consolidate under the doctor-led @getusppe

Every leader I speak to says that residents are building their own tracking systems, donation systems, and more. They are doing it because they have to, and admit that "it sucks." Related: I don't ever want to hear a startup complain about building a plane as they fly it.

Some of the hacks are genius in their simplicity. Yes, this is less than ideal, but we are in a break-glass situation. One nurse reportedly scoured her home for tupperware so that everyone could do this: https://twitter.com/ChristianAssad/status/1244789355249532929

@RanuDhillon shared this hack and rightly asks why we don't have a clearinghouse for hospital hacks. https://twitter.com/RanuDhillon/status/1245202451227004929?s=20

Frontliners are also writing policy. @choo_ek and @VincentRK are laying out how the U.S. should address medicine shortages (Also, pre-prints are the new norm in a crisis): …https://els-jbs-prod-cdn.jbs.elsevierhealth.com/pb/assets/raw/Health%20Advance/journals/jmcp/Medication_shortages-1585861541400.pdf

Some are writing medical books on the fly. #DifficultAirwaySociety + @GSTTresearch developed @IntubateCovid to collect data on intubation episodes + details of symptoms that develop in airway manages & assistants following #COVID19 airway management. https://intubatecovid.knack.com/registry#project-details/

Last note: if you are a frontline Health Doer, feel free to DM me with your needs, barriers, and wishlist. @covid_x will confidentially help make connections.