As we all know, frontline workers in our health systems are our main pillar during the COVID-19 pandemic. They show up every day, ready to get to work at hospitals, satellite screening clinics or long-term care facilities. It takes a lot of courage and resilience, even more so now as we are two months into the crisis in Canada. They are here for us. This raises the question: who is there for them?
Creating a Virtual Peer Support Network
In the first few weeks, between 30 and 50 physicians would tune in to the Zoom call each day, and sometimes up to 80 physicians. “At first, there was a lot of anticipation and anxiety,” remembers Dr. Gautam. “By week four, we all started to be grateful for what we achieved through and the collective effort from the community, and realized that we could, after all, succeed to flatten the curve,” she added. From 80 people during the call, the average went down to around 30, which Dr. Gautam attributed to probable fatigue, based on the amount of screen time many are spending each day. This is likely also as a result of their constant exposure to the Coronavirus subject matter, remains a critical topic of focus for physicians really talk about with and without their scrubs on. She has also observed a shift in the virtual conversation turning to a more adaptive, realistic approach of the situation by her peers. “By week 7, the conversation shifted from dealing with COVID-19 to living with the COVID-19 reality and back to a ‘new’ normal,” stated the psychiatrist. “The current phase is now to maintain and stabilize the health system.”
The Doctor's Doctor
Dr. Gautam's extensive expertise in the field has given her a lot of credibility not just in Canada, but internationally. During this pandemic, she has been able to assist her medical colleagues globally, including conducting webinars for physicians at the United Nations, for physician leaders through the Canadian Society for Physician Leaders, the American Association of Physician Leaders, as well as several physician executive business programs. She has worked with national medical societies including the Canadian Ophthalmology Association, Canadian Association of General Surgeons, Canadian Anesthesia Society to help physicians deal with the stress of the pandemic.
A Shift in Career
All Canadian physicians are welcome to join Dr. Mamta Gautam’s free video conference call, at 4:00 pm EST for one hour, available 7 days a week (Zoom Invitations via Twitter). The virtual environment is being secured by Dr. Gautam, as she will confirm that all participants are physicians in advance through email verification.