TIRUCHI
A year after Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital initiated Tele-counselling for COVID-19 patients, there have been nearly 15,000 beneficiaries. A team of psychologists attends the phone calls and address the needs of the patients admitted to the hospital, officials said.
At the Department of Psychiatry in the MGMGH, a team of five to six doctors make calls to patients who have been admitted at the GH, COVID positive patients, recovered patients and those with suspected COVID-19.
“We call positive patients thrice a week. Similarly, we also call patients who have been discharged as a follow-up 15 days later, a psychiatrist in the team said.
The calls address three important things – anxiety, phobia and loneliness. "The patients will need to give their basic details, including their health condition, which ward they are admitted to etc. In this initial round, we enquire about their food intake, if they are sleeping well, and if they have any complaints," Niranjana Devi, Head of Department of Psychiatry, MGMGH said.
From April 2020 to December 2020, 9,744 calls were made and from January to May 2021, 6,652. Between April 1, 2021, to May 20, 2021, 2,841 calls were made in the last two months.
The work is in coordination with the general physicians and the specialists at the isolation wards. “We convey any physical distress to the doctors and they, in turn, let us know if any patient requires help,” the psychiatrist said. To reach the Department of Psychiatry, citizens can call 0431 – 2771465 with the extension number 714.
Except for a handful of patients, not too many patients have been in severe distress, Dr. Niranjana said. "Only this year have we reported some cases of hypoxia. Last year it was negligible," she said.
Patients too have been cooperative, Dr. Niranjana said. "We had only one patient who argued and fought with the doctors. Most patients listen to the doctor's instructions and follow them properly," she said.
While healthcare workers at the hospital have not been given any group counselling, they have been instructed to contact the Department of Psychiatry. The department is also looking to take up grief counselling as the number of deaths in the hospital continue to increase.
