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Tag: MD

  • Mental Health and Emergency Medical Experts Encourage Support for Clinicians Health During Pandemic

    Mental Health and Emergency Medical Experts Encourage Support for Clinicians Health During Pandemic

    WASHINGTON, D.C. —In a joint statement, emergency medicine and other leading medical associations, academics and psychiatry experts outline steps to support the mental health of emergency physicians and other health professionals currently risking their lives to treat patients during this pandemic.

    “A physician’s choice to address his or her mental health should be encouraged, not penalized,” said William Jaquis, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). “Efforts to preserve and protect the mental health of emergency care teams should be prioritized now and in the aftermath of this pandemic.” 

    Optimal physical and mental health of physicians and other medical clinicians is conducive to the optimal health and safety of patients, the joint statement reads. Physicians and other health care professionals should feel comfortable seeking treatment for psychiatric symptoms, just as anyone else should. A health professionals’ history of mental illness or substance use disorder (SUD) treatment should not be used as an indicator of their current or future ability to competently practice medicine.

    These leading medical groups believe that credentialing entities should refrain both from discouraging physicians from seeking professional help and from dissuading physicians from joining peer support groups. There should be no reprisals for a physician who engages in such therapeutic endeavors.

    According to the statement, “For most physicians and clinicians, seeking treatment for mental health triggers legitimate fear of resultant loss of licensure, loss of income or other career setbacks. Such fears are known to deter physicians from accessing necessary mental health care. Seeking care should be strongly encouraged, not penalized.”

    “As important as providing personal protective equipment is the need to ensure the mental health of our frontline clinicians is attended to during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said American Psychiatric Association President Jeffrey Geller, MD, MPH. “Each health care professional should seek help if needed without hesitation and should be helped to do so by a colleague if such assistance is necessary.”

    The joint statement is signed by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), American Academy of Neurology (AAN), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPMR), American Association for Emergency Psychiatry (AAEP), American Association of Suicidology (AAS), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Physicians (ACP), American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM), American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Epilepsy Society (AES), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), American Geriatric Society (AGS), American Medical Association (AMA), American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), American Society of Hematology (ASH), American Society of Nephrology (ASN), American Thoracic Society (ATS), American Urological Association (AUA), Coalition on Psychiatric Emergencies (CPE), Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD), Council for Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS), Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), North American Spine Society (NASS), Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM), Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants (SEMPA), Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM), Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).

    The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 39,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.

     

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  • ACEP Stands in Solidarity with Emergency Physician in COVID-19 Related Custody Dispute

    ACEP Stands in Solidarity with Emergency Physician in COVID-19 Related Custody Dispute

    In response to news reports that an emergency physician has temporarily lost custody of her child because of her job on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, the president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), William Jaquis, MD, FACEP, released the following statement:

    “It is unconscionable to force Dr. Theresa Greene or any emergency physician to choose between their family and their oath to their patients. These are scary and uncertain times, but emergency physicians are expertly trained in how to protect themselves and their families during a pandemic like COVID-19.

    “ACEP stands in solidarity with Dr. Greene and any health worker who is in this heartbreaking position. On behalf of all our members, we have released an official statement urging that a parent’s role in the fight against COVID-19 not be a factor when considering child custody or visitation matters.

    “Emergency physicians, along with emergency nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses and others, are leading the battle against the public health crisis of our lifetime. But they are also human beings, who need and deserve the comfort of their families when they are off duty.”

    The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 39,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org. 

    Photo credit: MGN online

     

     

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  • Arapahoe County Resident Tests Positive for COVID-19

    Arapahoe County Resident Tests Positive for COVID-19

    The Arapahoe County woman in her 30s recently returned from international travel to India and lives in Centennial. This is the first presumptive positive test for a person in Arapahoe County.

    “We are just learning of this positive test from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and will begin our contact investigation to determine if there were any other potential exposures,” said John M. Douglas, Jr., MD, Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department.

    The case is a “presumptive positive” because the initial testing was done at the state level, and test results will be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). TCHD is working closely with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to work with each family and to protect the health and safety of Coloradans.

    If you are feeling ill with symptoms of cough, fever, difficulty breathing similar to those associated with COVID-19:

    • Manage your symptoms at home the same way you manage other cold symptoms. We want to reduce the risk of transmission, so to the extent possible, people with flu-like symptoms should remain at home.
    • If you need medical care, contact your primary care provider and schedule a visit. Let them know that you are concerned you might have COVID-19.
    • Only contact 911 for emergencies requiring immediate life-saving care and let them know if you are concerned you might have COVID-19.
    • Restrict visits to the hospital emergency room or urgent care – only individuals needing immediate care should visit these facilities. If you must visit an ER or urgent care facility, call ahead and let them know that you are concerned you might have COVID-19.

    CDC’s testing guidance includes three types of people:

    1. Those who have symptoms such as fever OR lower respiratory symptoms (cough or shortness of breath) and have had “close contact” with a confirmed coronavirus patient within 14 days of their first symptoms.
    2. Those who have fever AND/OR lower respiratory symptoms, require hospitalization, and have traveled to areas impacted by the epidemic in the last 14 days.
    3. Patients with fever and severe, acute lower respiratory symptoms who require hospitalization, and for whom no other diagnosis has been found — such as the flu. No travel or contact exposure is needed.

    Health officials advise Coloradans to stay informed, take simple disease prevention measures, and to be prepared to shelter at home for an extended period of time, as if preparing for a major snow event.

    • Practice good hygiene. Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water. In the absence of soap and water, use hand-sanitizer.
    • Use your elbow or sleeve to cover coughs and sneezes. If you use a tissue, throw it away and promptly wash your hands.
    • Stay home if you are sick, even if you think you only have the flu, a cold or allergies– and keep your children home if they are sick. Talk to your employer about their sick policy and telecommuting.
    • Stay informed with reliable, up-to-date information by visiting tchd.org/coronavirus and www.cdc.gov/covid19.

    If you have general questions about COVID-19 coronavirus disease, call the CO-HELP InfoLine at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911 or email , for answers in English, Spanish, Chinese, and more.

    On Wednesday, March 11, 7– 8:30 p.m., Douglas, Adams and Arapahoe Counties will host a COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall with the opportunity to hear directly from Tri-County Health Department officials: Dr. John Douglas, executive director; Dr. Bernadette Ann Albanese, medical epidemiologist; and Michele Askenazi, MPH, CHES, the department’s director of emergency preparedness, response, and communicable disease surveillance. Tri-County Health Department serves more than 1.5 million people in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties and is the largest local public health agency in the state.

    The virtual town hall will be aired live from 7-8:30 p.m., on the County’s website at douglas.co.us , as well as on Douglas County’s YouTube page, and Facebook page. A Spanish translation of the event will also be available. The recorded event will be posted online following the meeting. Callers may also listen in and ask questions during the town hall by dialing 1-855-436-3656.

    Tri-County Health Department officials will provide updates on the status of the virus in the three-county area. They will also provide information about proactive measures being taken to maximize community safety and other fundamental information such as: what is the transmission risk; what are the best actions individuals and businesses can take right now; and more. Virtual town hall participants may ask questions both before and during the live event and receive answers from Tri-County Health, county leaders and emergency management staff.

    Residents and business owners from all three counties may immediately post questions that will help officials from each county, and from Tri-County Health, learn more about some of the most frequently asked COVID-19 questions in their communities, and to have the opportunity to research the answers before the meeting.

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