You Need More Than PPE to Fight COVID-19 Effectively

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Physician burnout was a well-recognized epidemic long before COVID-19. But the circumstances of the pandemic – including sudden changes in practice and family routines and fear of contracting the virus or spreading it to loved ones – have created new struggles. 

From the start of the pandemic, physicians’ battle cry was, “We need more PPE!” But the exponential increases in the number of COVID-19 cases and the strains on the health care system have revealed that physicians also need tools to cope with the stress of fighting the illness. 

To help community physicians during these challenging times, the Texas Medical Association Foundation (TMAF) has established the TMAF Caring for Physician Healers: Mental Health and Wellness Resources During COVID-19 Fund. 

The fund was developed to give county medical societies a way to create physician health and wellness resources, including physician counseling, wellness practices, and interactive virtual presentations. 

TMA county medical societies are eligible to apply using these grant instructions and application

“Together we can make it through this battle. Physician health and wellness resources are a proactive and effective way to help physicians stay healthy in the midst of uncertainty, emotional exhaustion, and anxiety engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brian Sayers, MD, chair of the Travis County Medical Society (TCMS) Physician Wellness Program, which was established in 2017. 

TCMS and other societies around the country developed a toolkit to guide medical societies that want to offer physician health and wellness activities and anonymous counseling services to their members by starting their own comprehensive program. 

For more questions about the TMAF grant opportunity, contact TMAF Executive Director Lisa Stark Walsh via email .

TMA’s Committee on Physician Health and Wellness also has multiple resources, tools, and information to help physicians deal with the emotional and physical struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Last Updated On

July 28, 2020

Originally Published On

July 28, 2020

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