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:
- Should every patient who is admitted to a hospital be tested for COVID-19 since many exposures happen from asymptomatic carriers?
- What would be a coherent strategy for outpatients presenting to clinic? Are COVID-19 screening and temperature checks sufficient?
- Regarding EP procedures in today’s COVID-19 environment, how do you ensure patient and staff safety? Are you utilizing PCR or serological testing?
- If a second wave of COVID-19 occurs and overwhelms healthcare resources, what should EP practices do differently compared to our initial response?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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
