COVID-19: The important role of medical specialists

By Physician Sense
Published March 27, 2020

Key Takeaways

New York hospitals are under siege, according to a chilling report published yesterday by The New York Times. Some of the city’s hospitals appear to be nearing capacity as the nation’s largest city scrambles to convert the Javits Center into a hospital. In the same report, HCPs said they’re being asked to work outside of their usual areas of expertise.

“Workers at several hospitals, including the Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, said employees such as obstetrician-gynecologists and radiologists have been called to work in emergency wards,” the NYT report said.

If the rest of the nation follows behind New York, you might find yourself in a similar position, especially since the healthcare system is already contending with a physician shortage. Here’s what you might be able to do to help in the response to COVID-19.

Oncologists

Though most aren’t directly treating COVID-19 positive patients, oncologists still have to think critically about the virus. Many chemotherapy drugs are immunosuppressant, putting cancer patients at an increased risk for coronavirus infection. Oncologists must make difficult decisions, weighing the risks of delaying treatments against the risk of potential viral infection. 

As the pandemic stretches on, we might see oncologists with diminished caseloads work outside of their comfort zones. It’s likely many of you would be comfortable handling basic emergency medical cases, or monitoring COVID-19 patients. 

Psychiatrists

Perhaps the secondary pandemic to COVID-19 will be a mental health epidemic. Many Americans are contending with heightened stress levels and feelings of isolation as they’re asked to quarantine. This may be especially difficult for patients with pre-existing mental health issues. Moreover, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Americans were already contending with a loneliness epidemic.

Plus, there’s the mental health of those diagnosed with COVID-19 to think of. A positive diagnosis may prompt runaway thoughts and fears of pain, suffering, and death. Families of the sick will also require support. Psychiatrists will have a vital role in addressing the mental health burden of COVID-19.

Internists and Family Practitioners

Early in the pandemic, it seemed like IM and FM physicians would have more direct involvement in managing patients. However, it appears that mobile collection sites, for the most part, may be keeping patients out of private practices. Many are managing positive diagnosis at home and only turning to in-patient settings if symptoms spiral out of control.

IM and FM physicians with admitting privileges may be able to lend a hand at hospitals and clinics. If the rest of the country follows in the footsteps of New York, hospitals could be overrun, creating an all-hands-on-deck scenario for HCPs. IM and FM physicians could help manage COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases, calling in specialists as needed.

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