ABSTRACT
Changes that COVID-19 induced in endocrine daily practice as well as the role of endocrine and metabolic comorbidities in COVID-19 outcomes were among the striking features of this last year. The aim of this statement is to illustrate the major characteristics of the response of European endocrinologists to the pandemic including the disclosure of the endocrine phenotype of COVID-19 with diabetes, obesity and hypovitaminosis D playing a key role in this clinical setting with its huge implication for the prevention and management of the disease. The role of the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) as a reference point of the endocrine community during the pandemic will also be highlighted, including the refocusing of its educational and advocacy activities.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/therapy , Endocrinologists/organization & administration , Endocrinology/organization & administration , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/prevention & control , Community Networks/organization & administration , Community Networks/trends , Delivery of Health Care/history , Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration , Delivery of Health Care/trends , Endocrine System Diseases/diagnosis , Endocrine System Diseases/epidemiology , Endocrine System Diseases/etiology , Endocrine System Diseases/therapy , Endocrinologists/history , Endocrinologists/trends , Endocrinology/history , Endocrinology/trends , Europe/epidemiology , History, 21st Century , Humans , Pandemics , Phenotype , Physician's Role , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/history , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/organization & administration , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/trends , Societies, Medical/history , Societies, Medical/organization & administration , Societies, Medical/trends , Telemedicine/history , Telemedicine/organization & administration , Telemedicine/trendsSubject(s)
Attitude to Health , Delivery of Health Care , Emotions , Epidemics , Mental Health , Attitude of Health Personnel , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/psychology , COVID-19/therapy , Civil Defense/history , Civil Defense/organization & administration , Civil Defense/standards , Cost of Illness , Delivery of Health Care/history , Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration , Delivery of Health Care/standards , Epidemics/history , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , Humans , Mental Health/standards , Pandemics , Perception/physiology , Politics , Public Health/history , Public Health/standards , Public Policy/history , Social Media/history , Social Media/organization & administration , Social Media/standards , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Many have referred to the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis and intertwined issues of structural racism as "twin pandemics". As healthcare workers in Newark, New Jersey, a city heavily affected by the twin pandemics, we recognize that health workforce changes must be grounded in our community's recent history. The objective of this essay is to briefly describe the relationship between organized medicine, state and local leaders, and the people of Newark. We begin with a discussion of Newark in the 1950s and 1960s: its people experienced poor socioeconomic conditions, terrible medical care, and the many sequelae of abhorrent racism. Plans to establish a New Jersey Medical School in Newark's Central Ward also threatened to displace many residents from their homes. We then describe the Newark Agreements of 1968, which formalized a social contract between the state, business leaders, and people of Newark. In part, the Medical School committed to indefinitely promoting public health in Newark. We share progress towards this goal. Finally, we document key healthcare administrative decisions facing our community today. Stakeholder opinions are shared. We conclude that the Newark Agreements set an important standard for communities across the country. Creative solutions to healthcare policy may be realized through extensive community collaboration.