• Adam D Lipworth, Elizabeth J Collins, Sheri A Keitz, Paul J Hesketh, Frederic S Resnic, Joanne M Wozniak, and Anne C Mosenthal.
• Division of Dermatology, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address: adam.d.lipworth@lahey.org.
• J Pain Symptom Manage. 2021 Jan 1; 61 (1): e1-e10.

AbstractIn the spring of 2020, our hospital faced a surge of critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 patients, with intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy peaking at 204% of the baseline maximum capacity. In anticipation of this surge, we developed a remote communication liaison program to help the ICU and palliative care teams support families of critically ill patients. In just nine days from inception until implementation, we recruited and prepared ambulatory specialty providers to serve in this role effectively, despite minimal prior critical care experience. We report here the primary elements needed to reproduce and scale this program in other hospitals facing similar ICU surges, including a checklist for replication (Appendix I). Keys to success include strong logistical support, clinical reference material designed for rapid evolution, and a liaison team structure with peer coaching.Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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