COVID-19’s Dramatic Influence on the Practice of Community Medicine and Recommended Changes to Offset Some of Its Damaging Effects

Abstract

COVID-19 has changed the application not only of hospital medicine but also of community medicine in contexts such as family practice and nursing homes. This article will describe how the pandemic has radically influenced the practice of community medicine when dealing with uninfected patients. The medical system now works in a fundamentally different way. Under the new, formidable changes, physician-patient trust has become increasingly crucial to patient compliance.  Since physicians now see and examine patients less frequently, they must rely more exclusively on taking a comprehensive history and using clinical judgment, while still insisting on a physical examination when deemed necessary.  When masks are worn, effective communication is more challenging and less effective. Universal social isolation is an aggravating factor, particularly for residents of nursing homes. Provision of safety from the virus is a double-edged sword, as improved safety leads to increased suffering.  While continuing to provide quality medical care, we should all try to relieve the suffering that results from steps taken to prevent viral spread.