Challenges encountered by Emergency medicine physicians in the era of COVID-19: Future perspectives and recommendations

Abstract

The currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly affected the health care system in a significant manner, having a particularly major impact on emergency medicine. This study aimed to review the challenges faced by the emergency medicine department during COVID-19. Additionally, it provides an overview of future perspectives as well as recommendations to effectively and innovatively address similar challenges in the future. Different articles were extracted through databases such as Google Scholar and PubMed. This was followed by a review of a number of full-text research articles that were published in the English language both in developed and developing countries with a specific focus on emergency medicine and COVID-19. All primary research articles were further examined for information pertinent to the objective. Some of the many challenges that are faced by emergency departments include overcrowding of patients, shortage of staff, limited infrastructure, fear and anxiety of staff due to the contagious nature of the virus, the lack of trained consultants, and no separate isolation rooms for COVID-19. These challenges need to be considered as opportunities and addressed with innovative strategies such as the formation of think-tanks, conducting a SWOT analysis, training registered medical staff to diagnose cases of COVID-19 correctly, making data-driven decisions, using spilt patient flow approach, implementing tele-emergency medicine, and considering robotic training in the field of emergency medicine. Like all healthcare specialties, the emergency department has faced tremendous challenges during COVID-19 that need to be addressed by taking steps in a more systematic and organized way. These challenges are a potential threat in the short run but should also be considered as learning opportunities for the future.