The COVID pandemic has changed many things about the way we work, and doctors have not been immune. Many of my doctor friends have seen their hours cut back – in many ER settings patient volume is down 50% or more. In our small private practice, we are seeing far fewer patients than this time last year. The masks that everyone is wearing are working, and patients are not getting sick like usual. Of course, this is not a bad thing, but it likely means much less business for your local doctor’s office. I have had my hours (and my pay) scaled back over the past few months and we are really fighting to stay open. I know this is a reality for many people right now, and it saddens me to think of all the local businesses that will end up closing before the pandemic is over.
How has your work during the pandemic changed? I still go in to the office to see patients, but we are now able to see some patients using virtual visits. This was generally not an option before the pandemic. In addition to fewer sick patients, we are also seeing fewer injuries as many children do not have access to their regular activities. And we are not seeing nearly as many children with COVID as you would think, which does make me happy.
Our practice continues to struggle, and we are facing the possibility of closing if business does not pick up over the next several months. It feels like I lose sleep every night over this. I love the people I work with and would be devastated if I could no longer work with them. As many others have discovered, very few places are hiring right now, and this includes doctor’s offices. I am not sure what I would do if I lost my job right now. Very likely I would have to consider Locums work, which is like traveling doctoring. I would hate to be away from home so much. This is where my people are, even if I don’t get to see them as much right now, and I really need that support system.
Like many others, my mental health has been tenuous during the pandemic. Seeing the people I love as often as possible has really helped keep me sane. I worry about where my depression would be if I lost this. I know I need to plan for all these possibilities, but I get so anxious just thinking about it. Has work been stressful for you during COVID? How are you keeping your sanity? I keep hoping things will go back to “normal” soon, but I know this is unlikely. Even if it does, the new normal is unlikely to look anything like our previous version. Just one more thing to be anxious about, right?
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