20-486 Reduce the Harmful Secondary Health Effects of COVID-19
Date: 06/16/20
This information applies to Physicians, Participating Physician Groups (PPGs), Hospitals, and Ancillary providers.
For Medi-Cal, this information applies to Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare counties.
Your focus is on care for others, but it can be at the expense of your own health. These tips can help you care for your own well-being as you provide the best care for your patients.
Self-Care: Transform compassion fatigue into compassion satisfaction
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be stressful.
It’s crucial that you take care of yourself. Try to:
- Talk about feelings with a trusted person and/or a mental health professional.
- Learn more about compassion fatigue and how it affects people.
- Commit to regular exercise.
- Develop a healthy diet.
- Get restful sleep.
- Develop hobbies outside of work.
- Develop positive coping strategies.
- Reach out to support groups and networks.
TIPS TO HELP YOU COPE IN THE WORKPLACE
- Filter information; get accurate and consistent communication out to your teams. Doing so helps avoid magnifying the crisis and uncertainty.
- Have regular check-ins/team huddles (preferably in the morning).
- Create opportunities to support one another.
- Work with leaders to manage information flow.
- Find ways to connect with teammates – meditate together, eat together, even if virtually.
- Take time to care for yourself.
Support for Patients: Encourage patients with these tips
Everyone reacts differently to stress. A person’s response to the outbreak can vary, based on background, community and other factors.
You can encourage patients to:
- Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to the news, as well as social media. (Hearing about the pandemic over and over again can be upsetting.)
- Take small but concrete steps to care for the body. For example, take deep breaths, stretch or meditate.
- Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get lots of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Make time to unwind and have fun.
- Connect with trusted friends to talk about concerns and feelings.
- Build de-stressing time or breaks into the day and add it to a calendar. Find ways to avoid spending excess energy. For example, trim out what’s not productive.
- Set reminders or follow external cues to reset. For example, when stressed and tired, take a moment to sit down or take a power nap.
- Structure can be your friend. Set times to relax, connect with friends, colleagues or family (virtually or over the phone).
- Use technology to stay in touch. Opt for video chats to strengthen ties despite distance and allow non-verbal communication like facial expressions.
REFERENCES
• UC Davis Office for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – COVID-19 Coping as a Community Webinar
Additional information
If you have questions about the information contained in this update, contact the Health Net Provider Services Center by email within 60 days, by telephone or through the Health Net provider website:
Line of Business | Telephone Number | Provider Portal | Email Address |
EnhancedCare PPO (IFP) | 1-844-463-8188 | provider_services@healthnet.com | |
EnhancedCare PPO (SBG) | 1-844-463-8188 | ||
Health Net Employer Group HMO, POS, HSP, PPO, & EPO | 1-800-641-7761 | ||
IFP (CommunityCare HMO, PPO, PureCare HSP, PureCare One EPO) | 1-888-926-2164 | ||
Medicare (individual) | 1-800-929-9224 | ||
Medicare (employer group) | 1-800-929-9224 | ||
Medi-Cal | 1-800-675-6110 | N/A
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