Hospital describes services used to mitigate distress during COVID-19 surge

An article in the March issue of the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety details how Montefiore Medical Center (MMC), New York City, supported staff with mental health services designed to mitigate and treat psychological distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff support centers, where workers could engage in self-care activities, were heavily used, the authors noted. An accompanying editorial adds psychological interventions need to be paired with other practices, such as good communication, appropriate training and access to personal protective equipment. (Joint Commission news release, 2/23/21)