Open AccessThe contribution of family physicians to residential mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tshwane District, South Africa
Author(s) -
Annelet Kruger,
Owen O. Eales,
Sanet Jansen van Vuuren
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
african journal of primary health care and family medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.654
H-Index - 20
eISSN - 2071-2936
pISSN - 2071-2928
DOI - 10.4102/phcfm.v13i1.3045
Subject(s) - medicine , pandemic , mental health , covid-19 , health care , family medicine , catchment area , outbreak , mental health care , nursing , environmental health , medical emergency , disease , psychiatry , geography , economic growth , infectious disease (medical specialty) , virology , cartography , drainage basin , pathology , economics
During the start of the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, two family physicians in Tshwane, South Africa, reviewed the people at high-risk within their Health Catchment Area. The largest residential mental health care facility in Gauteng fell under their care, and they were responsible for providing care and support to this facility. Family physicians have to lead the primary care team and simultaneously take care of the well-being of their team members. This report discusses how these family physicians used digital platforms and virtual care to successfully coordinate and manage the response to an outbreak of COVID-19 at this mental healthcare facility.