Best Practices (cont): 1. Some doctors report "shortness of breath" is an unreliable symptom to track with #coronavirus. Hospitalized patients may not sense hypoxia; more useful to follow oxygen saturation with pulse oximetry. Takeaway: Do not waste precious time on this symptom.
2. Minimize testing for influenza & other respiratory viruses when flu-activity is low (like right now). Helps conserve limited number of swabs & testing media. Exceptions include: 1) immunocompromised and 2) cluster of respiratory illnesses within a unit (e.g., neonatal ICU).
3. We are using a peer-support system for frontline healthcare workers. Doctors are paired up & make an effort to talk (or text) several times/week. It has been tremendously helpful for processing raw emotions and offering reassurance. I highly recommend it.
