#COVIDEraEP Twitter Chat

On July 1, 2020, the HRS Communications Committee hosted the Twitter chat, “Cardiac EP in the COVID-19 Era: Navigating a New Normal" to foster open and diverse discussions about how the global EP community can effectively and safely move forward in their practice during this COVID-19 era. Conversations focused on the following questions:

1. Should every patient who is admitted to a hospital be tested for COVID-19 since many exposures happen from asymptomatic carriers?
2. What would be a coherent strategy for outpatients presenting to clinic? Are COVID-19 screening and temperature checks sufficient?
3. Regarding EP procedures in today's COVID-19 environment, how do you ensure patient and staff safety? Are you utilizing PCR or serological testing?
4. If a second wave of COVID-19 occurs and overwhelms healthcare resources, what should EP practices do differently compared to our initial response?
5. What are patient expectations when obtaining information on their risk of contracting COVID-19 when they present for an elective procedure or hospital stay? How do we best meet these expectations?
6. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, have you implemented more digital health technologies,and telemedicine practices? If yes, what specifically and how has it gone? Do you plan to continue?
7. What are your plans for managing high-risk patients (e.g., nursing home patients) who may be least likely to have access to or feel comfortable with telemedicine and digital health technologies?
8. How are you handling patients who tested positive for  COVID-19? Are you requiring negative tests or a minimum waiting period prior to being seen in the clinic or EP lab?

Thank you to everyone who participated, particularly our expert panel:

• Rakesh Gopinathannair, MD, MA, FHRS
• Faisal M. Merchant, MD, FHRS
• Suneet Mittal, BA, MD, FHRS 
• Dhanunjaya R. Lakkireddy, MD, FHRS 
• Christine M. Albert, MD, MPH, FHRS
• Andrea M. Russo, MD, FHRS
• Thomas F. Deering, MBA, MD, FHRS, CCDS
• Amin Al-Ahmad, MD, FHRS, CCDS
• Janet K. Han, MD, FHRS
• Andrea Natale, MD, FHRS
• Tina Baykaner, MD, MPH 
• Mellanie True Hills 
• Elaine Wan, MD, FHRS
• Rajesh Kabra, MD, FHRS
• Sandeep A Saha, MD
• Christopher V. DeSimone, MD, PhD
• Gopi Dandamudi, MBA, MD, FHRS
• Jason G. Andrade, MD, FHRS