The Minnesota Critical Care Working Group 2: Crisis Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic, July 2021 through March 2022

Background: The Minnesota Statewide Healthcare Coordination Center requested that the Minnesota Critical Care Working Group (CCWG) and Ethics Working Group (EWG), comprising interprofessional leaders from Minnesota's 9 largest health systems, plan and coordinate critical care operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the fall 2021 surge.

Research question: Can a statewide working group collaboratively analyze real-time evidence to identify crisis conditions and to engage state leadership to implement care processes?

Study design and methods: The CCWG and EWG met via videoconferencing during the severe surge of fall 2021 to analyze evidence and plan for potential crisis care conditions. Five sources of evidence informed their actions: group consensus on operating conditions, federal teletracking data, the Medical Operations Coordination Center (MOCC) patient placement data, and 2 surveys created and distributed to hospitals and health care professionals. The group developed and recommended processes to mitigate the conditions and engaged statewide leadership for support.

Results: Evidence of crisis conditions included rising numbers of COVID-19 inpatients, tertiary care centers with difficulty accepting transfers (including emergencies), severe emergency department crowding, activation of ICU allocation teams, and low patient placement rate at the Minnesota MOCC. A statewide hospital survey demonstrated numerous staffing adaptations, expansion of telemedicine, and delay of nonemergent procedures. A survey of health care professionals revealed instances of poor patient outcomes, bedside rationing, implicit triage, and moral distress. Leadership engagement resulted in public messaging, although no change in how ICU care was allocated, nor were transfers managed.

Interpretation: The CCWG collected and analyzed evidence demonstrating crisis conditions and health care professional moral distress during the fall 2021 COVID-19 surge. However, the group had a limited impact on care processes. This article analyzes the group's efforts. It includes recommendations for researchers and policy makers.