The management of patients with diabetes and hypertension amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic at Sanpatong Hospital, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

     This study was conducted to find (1) The Integrated care for patients with diabetes and hypertension in Sanpatong Hospital under COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Preparedness and obstacle for diabetic and hypertension patients in Sanpatong Hospital under COVID-19 pandemic. The population in this study was 12 people which consist of the hospital staff and public health officers in sub-district health promoting hospitals , Sanpatong district. This research was done by means of a qualitative method through depth interviews for analyzing and finding data.

     The findings show that ( 1) There were changes in services from Sanpatong hospital. Patients with diabetes and hypertension were classified into 2 groups based on their health conditions. Moderate and poor control patients were treated by physicians, while the others with good control were treated by nurses. Both groups of patients still got healthcare services as usual, but the contact time was decreased. (2) Regarding the preparedness and obstacle, the new service delivery was applied by reducing work processes, decreasing contact time, avoiding group activities between physicians/ health workers and patients, while maintaining essential health services for patients with all conditions. There was no change in the health workforce of chronic disease clinic. However, their role was adapted in order to comply with the new service delivery without any obstacle in the aspect of their knowledge or skill. The management for medical products were not changed, due to the fact that these old systems could support the new service delivery. Although Sanpatong hospital applied one stop service system, there is no information technology or applications to contact with patients specifically. Moreover, the hospital lacked of funding to improve all the service processes including online consulting. Therefore, physicians and health workers could not monitor and follow up their patients effectively. All clinics were ordered to design their own service in order to reduce medical admissions and presentations into hospitals for a better handle under COVID-19 pandemic. As mentioned above, the obstacle found in this new service system is limited contact time with physicians, which was a
major problem affecting service quality. Also, Sanpatong hospital lacked of financial resources to improve their information technology system, which support A Health System.