Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, people still need regular and routine care for diabetes, high blood pressure and other health needs.
“Many people have chronic conditions that make it necessary to see a doctor on a regular basis, said Dr. Jane Weida, interim chair of the Department of Family, Internal, and Rural Medicine at The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences.
Weida, a family medicine physician who also practices at University Medical Center, which is operated by CCHS, said it’s important for people to take care of their health and routine health-care needs during COVID-19.
“If people have a chronic illness and their anxiety is up, it can make their diabetes worse and their blood pressure go up. They have to make sure they are taking care of themselves,” she said.
That includes eating well, getting exercise and seeing the doctor when needed.
Weida said UMC is converting in-person doctor visits to telemedicine visits for patients who might be worried about coming into a health-care facility.
“Our staff calls patients and offer a telemedicine visit. The physician then and goes over health plans and medications,” she said. “The only thing we can’t do is a physical exam. But we are using Zoom technology, so we can see the patient and they can see us. We can see how they are breathing, if they’ve lost weight, if they are scared. A lot of people are very worried right now.”
Wedia said if people are experience anxiety, or more anxiety than usual because of COVID-19 and isolation and social distancing, they should call their doctor. “There are a lot of things we can do to help patients with anxiety and depression.”
She said preventive care should not be ignored. While shingles vaccines can probably wait at this time, they are available at pharmacies and “we do highly recommend then for those over age 50, so, yes, go ahead and get it,” Weida said.
She said UMC is having patients under the age of 2 come into the Pediatrics Clinic for their vaccines and well-child check-ups. She said older children can wait a bit on their well-child checkups, unless parents believe there is an issue that should be looked at.
Patients of UMC’s OB/GYN Clinic receiving Depo-Provera or birth control shots can still come in for those.
For preventive screenings, Wedia said routine mammograms and colonoscopies can probably wait another couple of months. “But if you’ve had colon cancer and you need that screening now, call your doctor.”