4 answers
4 answers
Updated
Richard’s Answer
My hospital is taking appropriate precautions.
.Everyone wears a mask. If there is a procedure with a possible covid+ patient we also wear N95 under our regular mask.
.All non urgent procedures are postponed.
.Visitors are limited
.Each room with possible covid+ patient is decontaminated appropriately after the procedure.
However I am not in the ICU or ER. Those people are on the front lines and do take more risks.
Financially, each type of physician is also affected differently. Believe it or not, we are less busy in radiology. Potentially COVID positive patients are screened with CT scan and patients in the ICU get daily chest x-rays. However outpatient imaging for things like joint and back pain has decreased dramatically. Even studies for following up cancer treatment/progression are decreasing during the pandemic.
.Everyone wears a mask. If there is a procedure with a possible covid+ patient we also wear N95 under our regular mask.
.All non urgent procedures are postponed.
.Visitors are limited
.Each room with possible covid+ patient is decontaminated appropriately after the procedure.
However I am not in the ICU or ER. Those people are on the front lines and do take more risks.
Financially, each type of physician is also affected differently. Believe it or not, we are less busy in radiology. Potentially COVID positive patients are screened with CT scan and patients in the ICU get daily chest x-rays. However outpatient imaging for things like joint and back pain has decreased dramatically. Even studies for following up cancer treatment/progression are decreasing during the pandemic.
Updated
Shivani’s Answer
As a medical student on rotations, COVID has impacted my education in some very interesting ways, both positive and negative.
Negatives: First, many of the hospitals and clinics I had rotations at cancelled any incoming students. Rotations cancelled. Any out of state opportunities have been cancelled due to concern over travel with the current situation.
Positives:
I got to practice tele-medicine, which I had never done before. This is where a doctor and a patient have a phone visit or "video chat" visit as a substitute in person doctor's appointment. It definitely was quite a unique experience as I could not really complete a physical exam but mostly ask questions and address my patient's concerns. It is my opinion that COVID will shift many visits to tele-medicine even after the pandemic, especially in rural areas and prisons where healthcare is hard to access. (Even primary care visits too). This of course will be an adjustment on how physicians practice, but the world is always changing, and we must adapt to our patients needs.
Hospitals are starting to open up in June, and some rotations will be open again for me to complete.
Hope this gives you some insight!
Negatives: First, many of the hospitals and clinics I had rotations at cancelled any incoming students. Rotations cancelled. Any out of state opportunities have been cancelled due to concern over travel with the current situation.
Positives:
I got to practice tele-medicine, which I had never done before. This is where a doctor and a patient have a phone visit or "video chat" visit as a substitute in person doctor's appointment. It definitely was quite a unique experience as I could not really complete a physical exam but mostly ask questions and address my patient's concerns. It is my opinion that COVID will shift many visits to tele-medicine even after the pandemic, especially in rural areas and prisons where healthcare is hard to access. (Even primary care visits too). This of course will be an adjustment on how physicians practice, but the world is always changing, and we must adapt to our patients needs.
Hospitals are starting to open up in June, and some rotations will be open again for me to complete.
Hope this gives you some insight!
Updated
Estelle’s Answer
Everyone in my office is required to wear a mask. We are not allowing visitors into the waiting area unless the patient needs assistance. Patients are asked to wait in their cars until the exam room is available, and then they are called straight back to the room. Actually, the office is quieter and more private this way. Patients seem to appreciate less foot traffic through the halls. I wash my hands before and after each patient, and I do it in the room so that they can see me practice hand washing hygiene. Doctors need to set the example for patients.