Telemedicine and Competency-Based Training to Maximize Resources in the Face of a Pandemic, Without Losing Humanization

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed global concerns about healthcare system capacity. The World Health Organization sets readiness standards for pandemics, but disparities in healthcare infrastructure and a shortage of medical professionals hinder responses. The pandemic has overwhelmed healthcare systems worldwide, leading to a shortage of healthcare workers. Countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Peru have recruited temporary healthcare professionals to address the shortage. Even countries with relatively high doctor-to-patient ratios, such as El Salvador, struggle to find Critical Care Medicine specialists. El Salvador’s response includes the 2020 inauguration of El Salvador Hospital (ESH), using telemedicine to connect specialists with non-specialists in intensive care. Competence-based training is crucial in rapidly educating a large healthcare workforce, with a course tailored to local needs—however, the pandemic challenges humanizing patient care due to limited family interactions. Telemedicine offers emotional support and spiritual accompaniment through video calls. The Social Work Unit at HES helps maintain patient-family communication, with post-discharge surveys assessing humanitarian support effectiveness. In summary, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed healthcare system challenges, necessitated innovative training, emphasized telemedicine’s role, and promoted efforts to maintain humanized care while assessing patient satisfaction.