The necessity of health care does not stop– not even for a pandemic – it only becomes even more essential.
In Wave 1, care providers across the globe needed to think quickly and come up with creative solutions so that patients, families and caregivers had what they needed when they needed it.
For family physicians, this meant that much more of the work needed to move to a virtual model of care; with only essential visits being in-person. This has had positive impacts for some and negative impacts for others.
“Having to work from home while also supporting children that are schooling at home can be difficult. It is a good test of multitasking! Math tutorial one minute followed by clinical management of a patient the next minute,” said Dr. Amy Catania, Chief of Family Practice at Headwaters Health Care Centre.
Virtual visits have meant an increase in attendance but a decrease in connection, which is critical when your job is fundamentally based on tuning into how someone else is doing.
The medical community both inside and outside of the hospital has had to support each other and work together as one seamless team to manage the effects of this pandemic.
“We are all being asked to do more and more and do it differently; from nurses being redeployed to areas they are unfamiliar with to community providers working at the hospital COVID-19 Assessment Centre. There is a willingness to do whatever it takes to keep moving forward and support each other. This has resulted in a greater understanding on how each department, provider and team works independently yet with each other,” continued Dr. Catania.
Throughout this pandemic our physicians have been called on to step up and not only continue to manage their busy clinical practices but also be involved with programs inside and outside the hospital. The team supports cold and flu clinics, paramedical programs, long-term care and other congregate care settings.
“Our physician community is busy, but they are also tired and looking forward to the future when this pandemic is behind us,” said Dr. Catania.
Now in Wave 3, many physicians are also organizing vaccination clinics in their offices and volunteering their time to lend their voice at numerous community tables.
Providing care during this pandemic has required immense collaboration and the medical community has embraced this, supporting each other in any way possible.
“We are doing phenomenal work here and I am proud to call this community home,” said Dr. Catania.
Photo caption: Dr. Amy Catania, Chief of Family Practice at Headwaters Health Care Centre.