The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way medicine is practiced and will probably continue to change medicine for many years to come. Non-COVID healthcare delivery has been stressed during COVID-19 which involves the regular follow-up for hypertension, diabetes, cancer care, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the list goes on.
There has been canceling of elective surgical procedures such as hernia and knee replacement surgeries. Obviously, the need for urgent interventions can not be postponed in cases of acute heart attacks, trauma, and other conditions that would jeopardize patient lives and survival if not done. Important decisions have to be made once the patient presented to the emergency room as coronavirus related healthcare dominated most of the healthcare facilities across the nation over the past 7 months.
Cancer care has been adversely affected as most care delivered via Telemedicine, but patients expressed that they want in-person visits for mental and psychological wellbeing. Other complicating factors such as staff shortage due to illness or caregiving responsibilities or due to an increase in mental health issues. Home-based care is replacing outpatient care, urgent care via Telemedicine which helps to continue to deliver healthcare in the safest way possible to minimize possible infection and disease transmission from COVID-19 patients or ( asymptomatic carriers) to other patients.
Telehealth can help evaluate and manage non-urgent cases, make appropriate referrals to subspecialists, monitor clinical conditions such as low blood sugar levels, and adjust medical therapy accordingly. Similarly, adjustments to blood pressure can be done in a similar way. Special considerations for in-patient facilities to have stations for hand sanitizers, use face masks, markings for monitoring social and physical distancing, limiting the number of people in the waiting room, restrict in-hospital visits. In some instances, may ask patients to wait outside in their vehicles until they are called in once a safe space is available. Innovations are continuing to help non-COVID healthcare delivery going during the middle of the pandemic as remote monitoring gadgets such as the Internet of Things (InT) will have a growing role along with using Telemedicine Technology in shaping healthcare delivery during the pandemic and in a post-COVID world both locally and globally.
- Dr. Adel Eldin, MD, FACC, FACP, MBA, GGA
- Board Certified Cardiologist
- Founder, CEO
- Affordable Quality Healthcare Program
- www.prontocare.co
- Founder, CEO
- www.floridamedicaltourism.com
- Wesley Chapel, Florida
- Tel: 877-DR ELDIN
