Elective surgeries during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Case burden and physician shortage concerns.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on several aspects of global healthcare systems, particularly surgical services. New guidelines, resource scarcity, and an ever-increasing demand for care have posed challenges to healthcare professionals, resulting in the cancellation of many surgeries, with short and long-term consequences for surgical care and patient outcomes. As the pandemic subsides and the healthcare system attempts to reestablish a sense of normalcy, surgical recommendations and advisories will shift. These changes, combined with a growing case backlog (postponed surgeries + regularly scheduled surgeries) and a physician shortage, can have serious consequences for physician health and, as a result, surgical care. Several initiatives are already being implemented by governments to ensure a smooth transition as surgeries resume. Newer and more efficient steps aimed at providing adequate surgical care while preventing physician burnout, on the other hand, necessitate a collaborative effort from governments, national medical boards, institutions, and healthcare professionals. This perspective aims to highlight alterations in surgical recommendations over the course of the pandemic and how these changes continue to influence surgical care and patient outcomes as the pandemic begins to soften its grip.

COVID 19 Care Call-in Helpline. A Report from India.

A COVID 19 call helpline was established by a noted TV channel along with a group of consultant doctors at the height of the second wave COVID 19 pandemic in India. It helped the general public to understand dos and donts as well as long term implications. We retrospectively analysed the questions asked to get a feel of the misunderstandings and perceptions within the general public. Many quereies related to the vaccination drive.

Simplified Community Based Telecare During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Telehealth has evolved as a very comprehensive tool for treating patients with mild to moderate symptoms across the globe during the global pandemic. Adoption of Telehealth in India posed special challenges because of its diversity in languages. Lack of proper healthcare infastructure and especially poor network connectivity have affected pre-hospitalisation care. We have developed an easy to use replicable tool and shown the path to succesful telecare for affected communities. Methods MedicAidTM - an EMR software has been used along with Zoom® to quickly provide online consultations for COVID patients, individually and in groups. Results A total of 60 COVID patients were given online consultation and provided support with recovery in all. Conclusion Group based community care is safe for mass treatment of COVID.