Part 1: The COVED Quality Improvement Project

Released: 4 May 2020 COVED is a prospective cohort study. All adult patients that present to the ED and meet COVID-19 testing criteria, based on contemporary case definitions at the time of presentation, are included. The primary outcome of interest being measured is the patient’s result using the recommended initial test for detecting COVID-19 infection. This test is currently the COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, using the nasopharyngeal sample taken during the index ED presentation. Secondary outcomes include hospital admission, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, the number of ventilator free days, hospital length of stay and death during hospital admission.