Anesthesiologists, doctors who provide perioperative care to COVID-19 patients, are among medical workers who serve at the frontlines in the battle against the viral pandemic. As such, they face health risks due to their exposure and close proximity to COVID-19-positive patients in enclosed spaces.
How then can these medical frontliners keep themselves safe while taking care of their patients?
This is the topic for the upcoming webinar on “COVID-19 Challenges for Anesthesiologists”, to be held on Friday, July 10, at 12nn. Guest speaker and resource person for this webinar is Dr. Grace Anne Herbosa, Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, UP College of Medicine and the Philippine General Hospital. The webinar is the 12th installment in the UP Webinar Series on “STOP COVID DEATHS: Clinical Management Updates”, organized by the University of the Philippines in partnership with Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center.
Anesthesiologists perform a number of interventions for COVID-19 patients and patients with severe pneumonia, including tracheal intubation, non-invasive ventilation (NIV), high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO), bronchial suctioning, bronchoscopy, and sputum induction. However, these interventions are considered aerosol-generating procedures, and it is well known that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is spread through droplet and aerosol transmission.
Moreover, in emergency and elective surgical procedures, anesthesiologists often stand near the head of the patient to monitor them for problems in breathing and other vital signs. This puts anesthesiologists near the patient’s upper respiratory tract, directly in the line of fire for viral load transmission.
Given these risks and challenges, what types of innovation in clinical practice are proven to keep anesthesiologists safe? This webinar will examine techniques, methods and strategies of anesthesiologists at the frontline.
Register now for the “COVID-19 Challenges for Anesthesiologists” webinar: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar12.
