LAUSR

A s the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, United States (US) surgical departments are taking unprecedented action to optimize clinical resources and protect staff and patients from potential infection. The pandemic response has profoundly affected the surgical care delivery system with widespread deferral of elective surgical procedures, staff redeployment across disciplines, rapid changes to operating room protocols, and extensive adoption of telehealth for pre and postoperative care. The impact of these changes on the long-term function of the US surgical system remains unknown. The current pandemic may substantially change long-term population health and surgical needs, including potential COVID-19 surgical sequalae, health consequences of deferred elective surgery, and changes in population health outcomes from social distancing policies. In light of these sweeping changes to the surgical care delivery system, we propose the following surgical outcomes and health services research agenda. In addition to ongoing translational and basic science research, our proposed research priorities can rapidly inform the healthcare system’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future pandemics and other catastrophic disruptions to the health care delivery system by anticipating capacity gaps and optimal resource allocation.