Out-patient Visit to the Pulmonologist: Peculiarities of Medical Pare Provision amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract. The coronavirus pandemic has significantly affected the health care system and continues to make adjustments to the work of physicians in various specialties.
 The aim of the study was to analyze the work of a pulmonologist of the polyclinic amid the pandemic COVID-19.
 Material and methods of the study. An assessment of appeals to the pulmonologist consultation in the medical center “Frankomed” in Ivano-Frankivsk from July 2020 to February 2021 has been performed.
 Research results.There were 143 patients, who made 185 visits and applied for an appointment with a pulmonologist within 8 months. Among those studied there were 72 women and 71 men. The age of patients was from 18 to 87 years, the average age of women was 49.31 ± 2.14 years, the average age of men was 48.86 ± 2.73 years.
 The reasons for seeking medical help from a pulmonologist were the following ones: acute bronchitis – 5 (2.73%), exacerbation of chronic bronchitis – 54 (29.51%), COPD – 12 (6.56%), bronchial asthma – 8 (4.37) %), pneumonia – 42 (22.95%), coronavirus disease – 30 (16.39%), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis – 2 (1.09%), tuberculosis – 6 (3.28%), neoplasms – 3 (1.63%), metastatic lung damage– 1 (0.55%), pneumofibrosis – 18 (9.84%) cases.
 The vast majority of appeals is accounted for the chronic non-specific pulmonary pathology, namely chronic bronchitis, COPD, etc. All pulmonary beds of the region during the COVID-19 pandemic were repurposed to Covid ones, specialized diagnostic and therapeutic care could not be provided to such patients.
 In the second place there are coronavirus disease, pneumonia and post-pneumonic pneumofibrosis. The reasons for such patients’ appeals were their desire to receive a consultation of a narrow specialist, excessive workload of family doctors, and others.
 Isolated cases of tuberculosis and neoplasms of unknown etiology were reported. The latter patients were immediately advised to consult TB and thoracic specialists.
 Conclusions. During the coronavirus infection pandemic, temporary restrictions led to later visits to a pulmonologist in case of exacerbations, which could provoke the development of life-threatening conditions and required hospitalization.
 Patients who applied to the medical center, had the opportunity to get the professional opinion and treatment.
 Important work was done by a pulmonologist to identify important medical-social problems.
 Key-words: outpatient, pulmonologist, COVID-19