The latest installment of the #PWChat series centered around the latest impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on healthcare professionals. Held on March 26, the chat was co-hosted by Physician’s Weekly Editor-in-Chief Linda Girgis, MD.
Below are the highlights from the chat. You can read the full transcript here, by scrolling down to the corresponding responses.
Q1: What has/have been the biggest impact(s) of #COVID19 on your day-to-day practice, be it in- or outpatient?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/C9qllUL7oE
— Physician's Weekly (@physicianswkly) March 26, 2020
A2. We are changing to more #telemedicine visits as we have a lot of at risk patients. We're trying to see sick patients in their cars or VIA video. Also, if they meet the @CDCgov criteria for testing, we refer them to the test center rather than come in. #PWchat #COVID19 https://t.co/V7OyEv1Bui
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
I can't speak in full since I only practice part time now, but it certainly has been the rapid implementation of telehealth throughout specialities, across all geographies. #PWChat
— Alisa Niksch, M.D. (@alisadoc1) March 26, 2020
A1 – Lower than usual patient visits…and having to take precautions to reduce infection in the clinic…wearing masks, no hand shaking, etc… #PWchat
— Dr. David Epstein (@MVP_Pediatric) March 26, 2020
https://t.co/i38doWtLni#PWchat
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
A1. We also try to limit the number of patients in the office at the same time. We moved all the waiting room chairs 6 feet away from each other. #PWchat
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
After every patient. We've had some in presumptive #COVID19 symptoms. And the door knobs and my desk…#pwchat
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
If it is after a patient who is sick, that would be me. I don't want to put anyone else at risk. The receptionists and MAs do their own space, but I do all the surfaces that could be potentially contaminated. I live in a cloud of Lysol these days. #PWchat #COVID19
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
A1: Complete upending of all routine. Calling patients to triage into either urgent and keep, reschedule/delay, keep with telehealth visit, keep with phone visit, or labs only. Plus change to all remote resident didactics. All new division, dept, institutional policies #pwchat
— “Flatten the curve”, 〰️ SPI Illinois MD (@SBowersMD) March 26, 2020
I think also that a portion of my time is scrapping for PPE from disparate sources, talking to friends, but getting frustrated that these efforts are so piecemeal, all grassroots, no true source of "big data" to address the needs. #PWChat
— Alisa Niksch, M.D. (@alisadoc1) March 26, 2020
Q2: How has the lack of available testing for #COVID19 affected both you and your patients?
How do you see this situation evolving?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/8hKRnbGP9D
— Physician's Weekly (@physicianswkly) March 26, 2020
A2. We haven't been able to test anyone until last week. This has unleashed #COVID19 in our community. It is too late now to try to contain this. We need to concentrate on the sickest, making sure hospital beds and vents are available now. If you are sick and don't 1/2 #PWchat https://t.co/Srr3Vma5hD
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
don't need to be hospitalized, stay home. Mild symptoms are self-limited and there are just no resources to treat patients who just need to self isolate. #PWchat https://t.co/Srr3Vma5hD
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
A2 – Having to pick and choose who to test…so much frustration. Not sure if we are doing the right thing. Feeling families’ frustration because they are not being chosen to be tested…but, everyone should be tested to control the spread. #PWchat
— Dr. David Epstein (@MVP_Pediatric) March 26, 2020
Q3: How has the lack of available #PPE for #COVID19 affected both you and your patients?
How do you see this situation evolving?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/r9kNwpZfJj
— Physician's Weekly (@physicianswkly) March 26, 2020
It's a disaster. Right now in Boston we are under control but really worried. Lots of logistical preparation and anticipating the next 3 backup plans. Again, the procuring of PPE seems totally ad hoc, donations, at the mercy of corporate good will. #PWChat
— Alisa Niksch, M.D. (@alisadoc1) March 26, 2020
No FEMA for sure. No one has seen any of the supplies supposedly under HHS jurisdiction. State public health has been helpful in concert with state government. But literally we have VC firms in town considering payouts to get PPE shipped here from overseas.
— Alisa Niksch, M.D. (@alisadoc1) March 26, 2020
A3 @FEMAGov administrator states that they're shipping stock piled N95 masks to states. Apparently they had millions (admin). This is overdue. Nurses have been wearing sheet protectors as masks. #PWChat
— ShereeseM, MS/MBA☕💄 (@ShereesePubHlth) March 26, 2020
And garbage bags instead of surgical gowns. #PWchat
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
A3. As a doctor in private practice, I don't need PPE in large numbers. It is now hard to buy masks and gloves. Price gouging is going on and many people say masks won't be available until the end of April. It's the healthcare workers in the hospitals that I worry about. #PWchat https://t.co/447hkhuKoR
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
Apparently recommendations to rotate N95 single daily usage mask 😷 use (if you have 4) to number them & rotate in numerical order, letting the used ones air out completely in between.
Can’t attest to safety of this.
— Paula #GetMePPE Whiteman, MD, FAAP, FACEP (@DrPaulaWhiteman) March 26, 2020
Exactly.
Being to UV light, then no UV light.
Heat them in oven…#PWChat pic.twitter.com/pq8cOAzKPK
— Paula #GetMePPE Whiteman, MD, FAAP, FACEP (@DrPaulaWhiteman) March 26, 2020
Q4: What stories/angles do you wish the mainstream media was covering in regard to #COVID19?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/BrVai6OQ4e
— Physician's Weekly (@physicianswkly) March 26, 2020
A4. Saw an elderly man who hasn't slept in weeks because he is afraid of #COVID2019. Everyone is saying it'll be OK because it only affects the elderly or those with risk factors. We need to stay human and stop sacrificing segments of our population. They're hurting. #PWchat https://t.co/ds5LlJm0VG
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
A4: need to keep highlighting #ppe shortage, as well as need to rapidly increasing testing and lowering testing thresholds. focus on misinformation that is out there, dangers of it and correcting it. Need to keep social distancing at a maximum. Act like you have #COVID19 #pwchat
— “Flatten the curve”, 〰️ SPI Illinois MD (@SBowersMD) March 26, 2020
I wish that the media covered the impact on the homeless, on women's shelters, and the incarcerated population. These are people at the mercy of society, and forced into close quarters. I have heard nothing. #PWChat
— Alisa Niksch, M.D. (@alisadoc1) March 26, 2020
It is very difficult that the media covers certain individuals stating that anybody who wants to get tested can, when locally the tests are in short supply and by protocol we are not allowed to test these people.
— Paula #GetMePPE Whiteman, MD, FAAP, FACEP (@DrPaulaWhiteman) March 26, 2020
Yes, I feel so bad for them now. How horrible is it to watch the TV and see politicians and others saying we should sacrifice them? I would love to see some of them interviewed on tv. #PWchat
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
It's nice to see we have 400 physicians who have signed up as volunteers to take additional duties of all types if needed. Probably just a (short) matter of time… #PWchat #COVID2019
— Westby Fisher, MD (@doctorwes) March 26, 2020
Um, yeah. Like me: an ol' fart cardiac electrophysiologist. Not too much afib ablation happening now, if you know what I mean. But I can still call patients with COVID test results, round on non-COVID inpts, etc. if needed. #PWchat #COVID2019
— Westby Fisher, MD (@doctorwes) March 26, 2020
It's what we do, right? It's important to understand, I'm not alone. TONS of folks cleaning labs, transporting patients, doing tests, serving food. Everyone's anxious until they get there, then they do their job as professionals. THAT's inspiring! #PWchat #COVID2019
— Westby Fisher, MD (@doctorwes) March 26, 2020
Q5: What stories/angles in regard to #COVID19 has the mainstream media been getting wrong?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/9lHfayzHie
— Physician's Weekly (@physicianswkly) March 26, 2020
A5. The numbers reported are NOT the number of cases. They are the number of positive tests. We haven't had the ability to test most people so these numbers are well under-reported. #PWchat #COVID19 https://t.co/ktF6hdI8R3
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
Yes. #PWchat
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) March 26, 2020
We’re officially out of time, but PLEASE, let’s keep this very important discussion going!
In the meantime, we give special thanks to @DrLindaMD for co-hosting and thank you all for joining and providing great insights and thoughts!#PWChat pic.twitter.com/CIxyo7xTge
— Physician's Weekly (@physicianswkly) March 26, 2020
