First, let me open with a virtual hug. I am sure we can all use one right about now. Our world has changed so profoundly in such a short amount of time that our community is more important than ever. I hope everyone is taking some time to connect to what is important to you – family, friends, faith or whatever it might be. A lot of our “contact” has to be done virtually but hopefully still provides that sense of connection that is so needed get us through this crisis. For many of us, staying connected to colleagues provides us a sense of comfort and normalcy. Thankfully, CAFP has been providing virtual opportunities for us to connect via Community Conversations, hosted on Sunday evenings through Facebook Live. Please join if you are available. Please also look out for our upcoming invitations on how to connect with colleagues locally.
As always, Family Medicine is at ground zero of this crisis; providing emotional support and medical expertise to the community at large. Some of us may not be on the frontlines, but we are certainly meeting the patients where they are. For a lot of us, that means we are doing far more virtual visits than ever before. Whether you are a novice or have fully integrate virtual care into your practice, again, CAFP has resources available. For a few of us, we are keeping our practices open to face-to-face visits, realizing that not all in our community have access to high speed internet or the know-how to navigate a virtual visit. I applaud every Family Physician stepping up to the challenge to care for our patients and the most the most vulnerable populations in our communities who may not have access to this form of care. If you are in need of PPE, there are donations available through the CAFP.
We are resilient, as a people, as a nation and as a specialty. No one truly knows how our world will look on the other side of this, but I do know that we will get through this together.
For more resources: https://www.familydocs.org/covid19/
Also see LA County public health information:
Our stories are compelling, unifying and help all of us feel connected. Please share your story on how all of this is affecting you at admin@laafp.org.
