The role of Colombian psychiatrists in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on multiple levels, one being the way of providing mental health care services. A study was proposed in order to identify the standpoints regarding the role we must assume as psychiatrists in the setting of this pandemic in Colombia. METHODS: A study was developed employing a Delphi-type methodology. Three types of psychiatrist were included for the application of the instrument: directors of academic psychiatry programmes, directors of mental health institutions and private practitioners. RESULTS: Responses were collected over the course of a month (between April and May) by 24 participants corresponding to 14 private practitioners (58.3%), 6 heads of academic programmes (25.1%) and 4 directors of mental health services (16.6%). The results, grouped around the psychiatric work, describe the impact generated by the pandemic and the possible role of the specialist. CONCLUSIONS: Consistency was identified around the need to provide a differential approach according to the vulnerabilities of each group of people exposed to the pandemic; as well as the remote provision of health care through technology, often using videoconferencing.

[The Role of Colombian Psychiatrists in the Midst of the COVID 19 Pandemic]. / El rol del psiquiatra colombiano en medio de la pandemia de COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on multiple levels, one being the way of providing mental health care services. A study was proposed in order to identify the standpoints regarding the role we must assume as psychiatrists in the setting of this pandemic in Colombia. METHODS: A study was developed employing a Delphi-type methodology. Three types of psychiatrist were included for the application of the instrument: directors of academic psychiatry programmes, directors of mental health institutions and private practitioners. RESULTS: Responses were collected over the course of a month (between April and May) by 24 participants corresponding to 14 private practitioners (58.3%), 6 heads of academic programmes (25.1%) and 4 directors of mental health services (16.6%). The results, grouped around the psychiatric work, describe the impact generated by the pandemic and the possible role of the specialist. CONCLUSIONS: Consistency was identified around the need to provide a differential approach according to the vulnerabilities of each group of people exposed to the pandemic; as well as the remote provision of health care through technology, often using videoconferencing.

SCHIZOPHRENIA in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak in a psychiatric hospital in COLOMBIA.

Herein, the characteristics of a group of hospitalized schizophrenic patients diagnosed with SARS Cov-2 are reported. The total number of COVID-19 positive schizophrenic patients at the time of this investigation was 46. During an internal outbreak in the clinic, all inpatients were diagnosed via PCR tests. Half the patients showed no symptoms of COVID-19, 22 (47.8%) patients suffered from associated diseases including hypertension and dyslipidemia, four patients had to be transferred to a General Hospital for pneumonia treatment, and none of the patients required ICU treatment. All patients recovered. Twenty of the patients were on clozapine as antipsychotic treatment.