About 91.8% of general medicine departments were involved in the care of COVID-19 patients

Amidst the persistent surge in COVID-19 cases in Japan, a recent study has highlighted the vital contribution of Japanese hospitalists who have played a significant role in implementing infection control strategies, driving vaccination initiatives, and overseeing hospital management throughout the pandemic.

The study says that going beyond inpatient care, these healthcare professionals extended crucial outpatient support to COVID-19 patients, even as the nation continues to face new challenges posed by the virus.

The study titled “Contributions of Japanese Hospitalists During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Need for Infectious Disease Crisis Management Education for Hospitalists,” published by Dove Medical Press on August 21, talks about the vital role played by hospitalists in Japan during the pandemic.

“Japanese hospitalists have contributed to COVID-19 vaccination services and infection prevention education. In other countries, primary care physicians, general practitioners, and family physicians also have essential roles in preventive medicine and primary care,” the study points out. “Japan is known to have strong vaccine hesitancy that is not limited to COVID-19. The burden on health care workers owing to COVID-19 treatment was substantial, and there was a severe shortage of health care workers to administer vaccines.”

The study reveals 91.8% of general medicine departments were involved in the medical care of COVID-19 patients. At the same time, 73.2% of hospitals were part of infection control for COVID-19 inside or outside the hospital.

“Our survey revealed that Japanese hospitalists were responsible for COVID-19 treatment in over 60% of hospitals and contributed to hospital management, infection control, and vaccination and 79.4% of hospitals answered that training of personnel who can provide practical care for emerging infectious diseases is necessary, 78.4% indicated that the establishment of an infection control system in advance to prepare emerging infectious diseases in the hospital is necessary”, and 74.2% stated that “the establishment of an educational system for responding to emerging infectious diseases is necessary,” the study says..

It, however, adds that there was a trend among medical students showing limited interest in specializing in infectious diseases during the pandemic. The research calls for unified efforts from government and academic institutions, including organizations like the Japanese Society of Hospital General Medicine and the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine, to bolster education on infectious disease crisis management.

In recent months, Japan has seen a resurgence of new coronavirus cases and the hardest-hit was Okinawa Prefecture.

Weekly statistical data released by the health ministry in June revealed that about 5,000 designated hospitals and clinics collectively documented a staggering 30,255 new COVID-19 infections.

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