The indispensable role of emergency medicine in national preparedness for high consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs)

Facing the epidemic of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), emergency departments (EDs) across the United States are once again reviewing their plans and abilities to detect and treat potential cases of an emerging infectious disease while ensuring the safety of patients and staff and to accommodate potential surges in visit volumes. As the most common first destination for individuals seeking urgent or emergent care, EDs have long played a...