Special operator: Strong support for F0 home treatment

– While thousands of people in the province are infected with COVID-19 every day, most of whom are treated at home, with the desire to provide maximum support for people with COVID-19 (F0), March 2022 The Young Doctor Club and the Youth Union of the Provincial General Hospital have created a group of free consultation and guidance on treatment to help F0 stabilize their mental health and feel secure with their treatment at home.

Ms. Trieu Thi Hang, Secretary of the Youth Union of the Provincial General Hospital said: “In order to support patients with effective treatment, we cooperate with the Young Doctor Club of the Provincial General Hospital to create a free consultation and support group for F0 home treatment. The consulting group consists of 19 volunteers who are doctors from many majors with extensive experience in controlling the pandemic in the province.”

Doctor of Emergency Resuscitation – Poison Control Division, Provincial General Hospital advises patients via mobile phone

Depending on their own expertise, each volunteer is assigned to be in charge of consulting different groups of COVID-19 patients such as children, pregnant women, elderly people (over 65 years old) with underlying medical conditions, patients with cancer and normal patients. Accordingly, the consulting team based on the study of procedures, documents and instructions of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health to advise on home treatment regimens for patients.

Through publicizing volunteers’ phone numbers on the mass media, on social networks and creating consultation zalo group, F0 patients can call directly or leave their phone number for medical advice. Support time is every day of the week, morning from 7:30 am to 11:30 am, afternoon from 13:30 pm to 8:00 pm daily.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Luong, Po Pang village, Hop Thanh commune, Cao Loc district said: “When I felt tired and fever and sore throat appeared, on March 11, I and my son (12 years old) went to the commune health station to get quickly tested and received positive results for COVID-19. Through social networks, I got to know about a group of doctors that provide free consultations for F0 patients to treat at home, so I actively joined the zalo group, leaving my phone number for advice. After being enthusiastically and thoughtfully advised by the doctor about the treatment method suitable for each person’s condition, up to now, my health and that of my son have been stabilized, the fever and sore throat have been relieved.”

Not only Ms. Luong, since its opening, more than 400 patients have been consulted and supported through the group, on average, each day, the group receives and advises via 60 to 80 calls from F0 patients with home treatment. In particular, they are mainly unvaccinated children with complicated symptoms. Through direct calls or messages, patients are supported with advice on treatment regimens, infection prevention for those around, drugs, usage, dosage…

Directory of volunteer networks to help F0 home treatment

At the same time, doctors regularly contact them to monitor their indicators and symptom development. In case F0 patients become more severe, they will be consulted for hospitalization when necessary, supported to contact local medical facilities, centralized treatment facilities to limit mortality and to help reduce the burden for the hospital.

As one of the ideas and content creators in the consulting group, Doctor Duong Tuan Minh, Department of Emergency Resuscitation – Anti-poison, Provincial General Hospital shared: “Joining the consulting group, I and the other doctors must undertake two tasks, both ensuring professional work and on duty of “24-hour hotline”. If they call us when we are busy with urgent tasks, after that, we arrange to call back immediately, so that no call is missed. Patients are often very anxious when symptoms appear, so these days, I always carry my phone along, accompanying F0, regardless of whether it’s a midnight or early morning call. Although we have little time, we always want to contribute more efforts to fight the pandemic with everyone. Every time we receive a call or text message from a patient that has tested negative, we have more motivation to connect and share.”

Although they have been vaccinated with 2 or 3 doses, most cases of COVID-19 are very worried. Receiving dedicated and detailed instructions on how to treat COVID-19 at home from “special operators” has helped patients who have been treated at home feel secure, calmly follow instructions and win over the COVID-19 pandemic.”