Can you imagine not wearing a mask?
From the Editor
Dr. Schwarzenberger is the former physician editor of DermWorld.
By Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD, FAAD, October 1, 2021
As we near the end of our second year in Coronavirus hell, most of us have come to terms with the fact that this virus is not going to quietly go away. COVID-19 has impacted us all in different ways, and this month in DermWorld, we consider some of the ways the pandemic has changed our practices. Many of us have experienced challenges staffing our offices, with an unexpectedly unpredictable job market, and it remains to be seen to what extent disruptions in the education pipeline may affect our future labor force. Concerns about the adequacy of the health care provider workforce may have helped fuel changes in scope of practice laws in some states. Even the ways we provide care has likely permanently changed with the explosion of telemedicine. DermWorld Assistant Editor Emily Margosian offers us interesting insights on the topic and will likely leave you thinking about how this virus has changed your daily practice. For me, I cannot even imagine seeing patients in the future without wearing a mask. I have even perfected the art of not fogging up my +1.5 magnification safety goggles that have replaced my many pairs of Costco reading glasses. I can live with these changes. But I truly miss shaking the hand of my patients as I enter and leave the room. This touch was part of the caring ritual that I enjoy as a physician, and I hope someday to be able to regain it.
Regardless of what manner we provide our care, the doctor-patient relationship is the core of what we do as physicians. This month, we speak with some of our colleagues who share their best practices for fostering a strong connection with our patients, whether we are seated next to them in a real or virtual room. An honest and empathetic relationship with our patients turns out to be good for all involved; patients in such relationships may experience better health outcomes, and physicians may be happier. Read our feature article on the art of making connections. I suspect you will come away with a few new techniques to try in your practice.
What else do we have in store for you this month? Don’t miss our final feature, which explores the evolution and importance of our current staging systems for cutaneous malignancies. As always, we have LOTS of great information from our superlative AAD/A staff members to help you optimize your practices and maintain the bottom line with improvements in your practice’s revenue cycle. Our DermWorld Editorial Advisory Workgroup members share their ever-popular pearls from the medical literature and greater house of medicine. And, as a scheduled, but nonetheless still a special treat, our Academy president, Dr. Ken Tomecki, offers his ever entertaining and sage words of wisdom!
October is somewhat of a transitional month, as we move through autumn into the winter ahead. Mother Nature has not been kind these past few months, and while we likely brought some of this on ourselves, I know some of our colleagues have been impacted by the storms and wildfires that have ravaged different parts of the country. If you are among those affected, please know that we care and are thinking of you. Please take care of yourselves, and I hope you find some time for joy.
