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know what to do or how to help them," says Dr. Gold. "Families aren't at the bedsides, so providers are providing patients with emotional support." Depression and suicide were prevalent among providers before COVID-19. Nobody talked about it, which can feel extremely isolating. "But if you're in a place where everybody is sharing that they're not sleeping or eating well, and that they aren't happy, then at least everyone can talk about their struggles in an outward and vulnerable way, and feel a sense of community around that," says Dr. Gold. She applauds health systems that have stepped up to provide the necessary support to their providers. Many organizations have set up hotlines for providers to call to get support from mental health professionals. Some systems have also increased access to therapists and psychiatrists, and have hired more staff members to prevent burnout among their teams. Dr. Gold is a big believer in figuring out what kind of coping skills work for an individual. "I think it's really helpful to try various methods to see what they like, and then write down those prac- tices. That way they have a list of methods that they're willing to try, so they can figure out what works best in the moment." Healthcare providers ultimately need to make their own well-being a priority, according to Dr. Gold. "It's a very normal thing to have emotions, and it's a very normal thing to react to the stress you experience every day," she says. "Getting help is not a weakness." Telehealth takes off When the pandemic accelerated in March, Catherine Ann Matthews, MD, FACS, FACOG, had never used telehealth to meet with patients. Within a week, she and her colleagues established a telemedi- cine program. Nine months later, tele- health has transformed her practice to the point where she doesn't want to fully revert back to in-person visits once the pandemic recedes. "As a women's health provider, I see a lot of older female patients who struggle to get to the office," says Dr. Matthews, a professor of urology and gynecology at Wake Forest Baptist Health, in Winston-Salem, N.C. "The efficiency by which I'm able to provide care and access patients has radically improved. We've dramatically enhanced in-person visits by having the opportunity to meet with patients initially via telemedicine." Dr. Matthews also conducts telemedicine follow- up visits with her patients who undergo surgery. A key to her success with telehealth has been shatter- ing the traditional perception of the technology as a physician-driven platform. "We've found that if we duplicate the exact same workflow via telehealth that we have in person, it dramatically assists everybody," she says. "Having nurses conduct virtual calls with patients before their in-person clinic visits to ask about their med- ications, allergies and health histories, and inputting that info in the EMR creates the efficiency needed to complete a 30-minute virtual visit." According to Dr. Matthews, patients have mostly embraced telehealth, especially after getting past the intimidation factor of trying something new. "Sometimes it's anxiety-provoking to make sure they can log on. But once we start the visit, general- ly speaking, I've heard only positive feedback," she says. "Most people are very surprised by what we're able to figure out by talking together." With a second wave of the pandemic looming this 2 8 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 LONG VIEW Infection preventionists like Donna Nucci, RN, MS, CIC (right), believe safety protocols created in response to the pandemic must remain in place moving forward. Lawrence + Memorial Hospital