• Anne Goei and Mohan Tiruchittampalam, Grad Dip Healthcare Management & Leadership, FRCS (A&E).
• National Preventive Medicine Residency, Ministry of Health Holdings, Singapore (Dr Goei); and Medical Board (Surgical & Ambulatory Services), Woodlands Health Campus, National Healthcare Group Singapore (Dr Tiruchittampalam).
• J Public Health Manag Pract. 2020 Nov 1; 26 (6): 613-621.

ContextThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed a strain on health care systems worldwide. Many hospitals experienced severe bed shortages; some had to turn patients away. In Singapore, the widespread outbreak, especially among the dormitory-based population, created a pressing need for alternative care sites.ProgramThe first massive-scale community care facility (CCF) was started in Singapore to address the pandemic. It served as a low-acuity primary care center that could isolate and treat COVID-19-positive patients with mild disease. This allowed decompression of the patient load in hospitals, ensuring that those with more severe disease could receive timely medical attention.ImplementationVarious groups from the private and public sectors, including health care, construction, security, hotel management, and project coordination, were involved in the setup and operations of the CCF. A large exhibition center was converted into the care facility and segregated into zones to reduce cross-contamination. State-of-the-art technological infrastructure for health management was used. Several paraclinical services were made available.EvaluationThe CCF was a timely and robust response that fulfilled several crucial functions, including cohort isolation, triage, basic medical care, and timely reviews and escalation of patients. It placed a unique focus on promoting patient ownership, responsibility, and mental well-being. It was largely successful, with a low hospital transfer rate of 0.37%.DiscussionThe success of the CCF could be attributed to the use of a facility of opportunity, strong interorganizational and cross-sector cooperation, an integrated and robust clinical system, and clear communication channels. It allows for efficient resource utilization and is valuable in future pandemics with similar disease characteristics.

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