PSHPM PARTICIPATES IN DEVELOPING UNIFIED COVID-19 ALGORITHMS
PSHPM answered the call of the Health Professionals’ Alliance Against COVID-19 (HPAAC) to re-strategize the Philippines’ response against the virus, by being a contributor to the Unified COVID-19 Algorithms. The Unified COVID-19 Algorithms is developed and continuously being improved by an ongoing collaboration of various medical organizations, algorithm constructors, technical specialists, and other volunteers.According to HPAAC, the algorithms aim to provide clear COVID-19 management guidelines for communities and hospitals, and to reinforce Department of Health (DOH)recommendations, with emphasis on evidence-based decision making and patient-centeredness.
PSHPM joined the collaboration last August 2020, and helped revise the first version of algorithms that were developed in March 2020, which did not include any algorithms related to palliative care. PSHPM officers Dr. Karin Estepa-Garcia and Dr. Rumalie A. Corvera, together with Dr. Criselda Isabel C. Cenizal, Dr. Michal Emy Pasaporte-Hafalla, and Dr. Josephine S. Raymundo, constructed the algorithms for Section 1: Patient Navigation, Section 2: Primary Care, Section 4: Special Considerations, and Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment. In addition, PSHPM Board Members reviewed and approved the algorithms related to palliative care under Section 4, specifically the Advanced Care Planning (Section 4a) and End-of-Life Symptom Management of Irreversible Respiratory Failure in COVID-19 Patients (Section 4b). PSHPM President Dr. Karin Estepa - Garcia then presented these algorithms at the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID)42nd Annual Convention last December 4, 2020. Presenting with her were other doctors representing different medical fields and organizations involved in the development of the Unified COVID-19 Algorithms, namely Dr. Lei Camiling-Alfonso, Dr. Mario Panaligan, Dr. Ria Fajardo, Dr. Antonio Dans, Dr. Maricar Limpin, Dr. Pauline Convocar, and Dr. Aileen Espina. PSHPM continues to be an active participant in this collaboration.
The Unified COVID-19 Algorithms are divided in seven sections, and the links to each section are given below.
Section 1: Patient Navigation
Section 2: Primary Care
Section 3: Hospital Care
Section 4: Special Considerations
Section 5: Patient Reintegration
Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment
Section 7: Emergency Services
Since the algorithms are continuously being improved, end-users are encouraged to provide experience-based feedback. Feedback information may be sent to secretariat@psmid.org, hpaac.org.ph/contact, or secretariat@hpaac.org.ph.
Reference
Unified COVID-19 Algorithms, November 7, 2020, <https://www.psmid.org/unified-covid-19-algorithms/>.