Cosmetic Dermatology practice in COVID times – A positive prospective – Challenges and survival

A pandemic doesn’t imply that issues like pimples, hair fall and so on., have out of the blue vanished in a single day! Quite the opposite, now we have seen an exponential improve in pores and skin and hair points.

By Dr Kriti Lohia, 

Submerged within the Present Pandemic of COVID -19, with the specter of the third wave hovering over us, the 2 largest challenges at the moment are – FEAR and PARANOIA.

Worry that stems from the unknown. Worry for self, worry for our households, worry of getting contaminated with the virus. This worry is true not just for us however our sufferers as effectively.

Paranoia, the final word query of ‘what if?’ ‘What if this pandemic doesn’t finish?’

The one factor that kills worry is motion, and paranoia is perception.

Motion oriented mindset all the time promotes a constructive outlook.

We efficiently fought worry among the many docs and our workers by guaranteeing safety from COVID-19 by offering N95 masks, face shields, OT robes from day certainly one of re-opening our doorways. There have been no exceptions. Because of this neither any sufferers nor workers was contaminated from the clinic premises.

COVID-19 insurance coverage was bought for all workers members- It was a method of guaranteeing emotional and monetary assist to any warrior which may contract the virus.

As a substitute of focussing on the sudden discount within the complete affected person depend throughout out clinics, we focussed extra on affected person retention. So what if we had just one/3 rd of our authentic sufferers? If they’re brave sufficient to return, we might be there for them, take heed to them, as a result of amidst this lockdown human empathy grew to become valuable.

Providing them a protected, clear house, providers like medicines couriered to their homes personally, incomes their belief via our dedication in direction of them. It helped us to enhance affected person engagement. We went from being simply their docs, to be their mates and well-wishers as effectively.

The nation noticed an enormous shift as soon as teleconsultation was legitimised, we capitalized on the best way that may assist us attain tons of of sufferers without delay.

Combating Paranoia was maybe the more durable of the 2. With the every day information with mounting numbers, it may have been laborious to maintain the spirits up. The nation was struggling, we had been struggling. However, now we have all the time thought of ourselves as one large household. One for all and all for one. Having the ability to see one another, discuss to one another, both in particular person or just about by way of Zoom turn out to be the perfect stress buster. One can name it ignorance, however most of us prevented the every day information updates.

As a substitute of focussing on the countless what ifs, we accepted sure laborious details.

1. A pandemic isn’t one thing that might be over in a matter of some weeks or months. It may final for years. The final pandemic lasted over 2 years.

2. A pandemic doesn’t imply that issues like pimples, hair fall and so on., have out of the blue vanished in a single day! Quite the opposite, now we have seen an exponential improve in pores and skin and hair points.

3. All our lives as docs, as medical well being professionals we spend working. Working from one diploma to a different, establishing our practises, beginning our households, however we by no means ever had the possibility to stroll, to breathe, to understand our achievements and perceive why we’re doing what we do within the first place.

So we learnt to consider. Imagine in ourselves, within the folks working round us, within the group, in sincerity in direction of our sufferers. The world round us was altering so we modified with it.

To teach and empower – that grew to become our motto.

From conducting in –home on-line webinars for docs, our therapists, receptionist and so on, to upgrading our software program, standardizing our methods, constructing our capability, re-inventing ourselves by re-investing in ourselves. Previously yr, ever for the reason that peak of the pandemic, Artistic concepts and innovation has turn out to be the norm. With a workers of 110 members, artistic juices are actually constantly flowing. Why ought to one particular person fear, when there are 110 others to share our happiness and disappointment with?

To have a constructive outlook, you will need to not be affected by the ups and downs of income and of returns. Regardless of the pandemic when the clinic was doing unexpectedly effectively within the months of Oct 202- Feb 2021, we didn’t waver from our new discovered imaginative and prescient.

To all of the younger and new dermatologists, my honest advise might be to cease worrying concerning the what ifs and what nots. As a substitute, deal with the one factor the world actually wants, that all of us want, which is to heal. Heal our sufferers which in flip helps us to heal ourselves.

Every thing that begins, will ultimately come to an finish. However, we will’t sit in despair ready for the top to return. The Pandemic remains to be upon us so don’t let your guard down, study the teachings it has come to show you for at the moment, tomorrow and all the time.

I’d identical to to finish with one thing that Albert Einstein as soon as mentioned, ‘Alternative is missed by most individuals as a result of it’s wearing overalls and appears like work’. So get to work!

(The writer is a working towards dermatologist primarily based in Pune. The article is for informational functions solely. Please seek the advice of well being consultants and medical professionals earlier than beginning any remedy or treatment. Views expressed are private and don’t replicate the official place or coverage of the Monetary Specific On-line.)