It became one of the most popular new terms of 2020. But COVID fatigue didn’t go away after the new year. After months of wearing masks , washing your hands, and social distancing , many people are simply ready for it to be over. Covid fatigue refers to the exhaustion many consumers feel after months of living with a pandemic. Although news of a vaccine has given many people hope, COVID fatigue has spread far and wide.
COVID fatigue and HIPAA
COVID fatigue has infiltrated every area of our lives. This includes healthcare organizations, which are starting their second year of dealing with a global pandemic. Medical professionals and support staff have spent months wearing PPE and spacing out appointments to keep waiting rooms empty. SEE ALSO: How Hospitals Can Regain Revenue After Coronavirus By now, medical providers have made the shift to a COVID-era world. Like most practices, you’ve likely begun offering more remote care, including telehealth and phone consultations. It’s easy to get lax as COVID fatigue sets in. But you aren’t the only ones affected by COVID fatigue right now.
Combating COVID Fatigue
The key to fighting COVID is first recognizing that it exists. After months of playing it safe, it’s natural to feel as though the world should have come out of this by now. You may even feel tempted to stop taking the necessary precautions and go back to normal. But the University of Colorado Health stresses the importance of good self-care once you realize COVID fatigue is setting in. One of the best things you can do is shut off the noise. Doomscrolling is a term that has increased in popularity during COVID-19. Replace some of your social media time with healthy activities like going for a walk or simply taking some time to relax and reflect. Understand that this is, indeed, temporary, and soon you’ll be spending time with family, dining out in restaurants, traveling, and doing all the other things you enjoy.
Patient communications during COVID
If you’re experiencing COVID fatigue, chances are your patients are, too. Even once they’re vaccinated, you may find patients are reluctant to come into your offices, especially now that they’ve discovered how convenient telehealth is. Your practice may also prefer it, especially for patients who are contagious.
SEE ALSO: Delaying Treatment Due to COVID-19 Is Dangerous for Your Health
Although the pandemic has been an ordeal, the permanent shift toward telehealth could be one good thing that comes out of it. Experts are already investigating ways to use technology to improve both at-home and in-person care. Paubox Email Suite allows you to send HIPAA compliant email both during and after COVID. With Paubox’s solution, every message you send is automatically encrypted. Not only can you send messages without worrying about encrypting them manually, but recipients won’t have to redirect to a portal or input a password to read your messages. Paubox Email Suite integrates with Google Workspace , Microsoft 365 , or Microsoft Exchange to give you a seamless emailing experience.
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