Different moments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania and Family doctor’s involvement- a short review to document coping mechanism of this professional group during crisis.

Andrea Neculau

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, Family doctor, Romania, coping

Introduction:

The COVID -19 Pandemic has challenged Healthcare Systems and healthcare workers in the past two years, and Romania was also part of it.
Family physicians have been involved in different ways, starting with the maintenance of essential health services for the population, screening, and monitoring of COVID -19 patients and the vaccination campaign. The volume of work and working hours have increased. Family doctors had to develop new communications means with patients and Health Authorities. Even before the pandemic family medicine was facing several problems like underfinancing, aging of the workforce and under coverage of rural areas with family doctors. All these aspects have brought stress and pressure in the working life of family doctors.

Method:

No study was done in Romania to evaluate coping mechanisms of family doctors during the pandemic, but a rough evaluation of group behaviors of medical professionals, in different moments of it, can be a proxy to illustrate the psychological state, the work drive and coping mechanisms evolved. This work is a short review that is presents group behaviors of family doctors in different moments of the pandemic.

Results:

At the beginning of the pandemic, family doctors have found efficacious ways to cooperate between themselves and to offer each other support for finding protection equipment and information about the virus and the pandemic. The unrecognized merits form the national Health Authorities have brought anger and disengagement at certain points. The enthusiasm and creativity during the vaccination campaign revealed a deep understanding of the preventative role.

Conclusions:

Family medicine in Romania wasn't recognized to its value during the COVID-19 pandemic and this has brought distress and an uneven implication. Creativity, hard work and a deep understanding of family medicine values have been the coping mechanisms of those who fully engaged in activities in different moments of the pandemic.

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