Focus on a planned healthcare environment rather than taking random action

Everything seems to be in a reorganizing mode requiring tireless efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting and deep impact on our healthcare system. Although entire humanity is going through this unprecedented change, the initial responsibility largely fell on healthcare workers. Also, the level of uncertainty and inexplicable stress added to their challenges.

During the initial months of this sudden outbreak, whether it was shortage of beds, rising death toll, increased number of infected cases or doctors themselves getting infected while treating patients, every change affected our hospital systems like never before. It was a spine-chilling experience and together we dealt with it, displaying huge patience, empathy and commitment.

In the backdrop of these challenges, we surely need to give time to every hospital to upgrade. It is not an easy task to bring in changes overnight. Our hospital has recovered from the initial shock and has upgraded its entire system. We have managed to ensure COVID-19 appropriate behavior. Be it repeated sanitization of surroundings or ensuring social distancing, we are following every precautionary measure with discipline. Wearing masks is mandatory, every visitor’s temperature is checked at the entrance and hands are thoroughly sanitized before allowing entry and that too with a valid identity card.

Our hospitals are majorly treating cancer patients. Cancer was already an epidemic in the country, long before COVID-19 hit us. Unfortunately, due to rapid spread of COVID-19 infection, our cancer patients suffered extra pain and discomfort. Being immunity-compromised, they had to follow additional restrictions, and for several reasons many of them could not be regular with their therapies.

While cancer patients need more patience, this uncertainty of time added more stress. But now, with all appropriate measures in place, many of them have started being regular with their treatment and we are serving them in our hospitals.

Many patients suffering from chronic diseases, who had to undergo surgeries, also delayed their treatment. Now with the recommencement of elective surgeries that is resolved too. Also fearing infection in the hospital premises led to hesitation of patient visits. Patients regular with dental and ENT problems refrained from visiting hospitals in the earlier days. Now they have resumed their visits too.

Patients who were relying on online consultation in the pandemic have started reporting back to the hospital. No doubt, online platforms and digitalization are the key to the future, but at some level, patients need to be physically present in front of the concerned doctor for further examination.

Hence, we are equally encouraging their physical presence. It also reflects the patient’s restored faith in the hospital. Patients from other states and overseas have also started reporting again, although due to ongoing protests on streets, this process has recently been disturbed partially. As per COVID-19 imposed restrictions, our hospital is surely back on track.

Along with hospitals’ upgradation, people visiting hospitals also need to adhere to some formalities at their end. As previously, it was seen, many patients used to visit hospital with more than two attendees, now this has changed, and they come with only one responsible adult in order to ensure lesser crowd in hospital premises. They now also bring all the requisite documents, so that the concerned doctor can monitor their progress and lesser visits are required on their part.

As things are getting better and vaccine drive is underway, complete recovery from this pandemic looks possible. Hence for 2021 hopes are soaring high. This is surely a year of change and together we should make it a year of recovery and healing!