Digital health, telemedicine and COVID-19

Introduction Artificial intelligence, digital health, telemedicine, portable sensors, virtual reality - these new technologies will completely change the way patients and doctors perceive healthcare. The coronavirus pandemic has caused an explosive increase in the need for digital services, including those related to health and medicine.Objective: This review is to examine the interaction between telemedicine, digital health and the possibility of introducing new technologies to respond to and address the epidemic of COVID-19Source of information: Searched in the databases of Google, Google Scholar, Medscape, Medline, Linkedin, Twitter by keywords: telemedicine, digital health, artificial intelligence, COVID-19Conclusion: The new epidemic situation caused by COVID-19 is already further catalyzing the faster application of telemedicine, digital health in most medical specialties and activities. We reviewed and systematized the new trends in telemedicine caused by the COVID-19 epidemic

Course of COVID-19 infection in hospitalized patients with diabetes mellitus - own experience

Introduction: Infection with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is more severe in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), especially in cases of type 2 diabetes (DMT2) - due to their older age, the high frequency of metabolic syndrome and related cardiovascular diseases (arterial hypertension, heart failure, ischemic heart disease), as well as due to the presence of micro- and macrovascular complications.Objective: To investigate the relationship between COVID-19 infection and its severity in patients with diabetes mellitus.Materials and methods: One-center retrospective study covering patients hospitalized in UMHAT Burgas AD, Burgas with a positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalized from January 1 to January 31, 2021.Results: The analysis included 368 patients with a mean age of 55 years, 62.3% of whom were male. During hospitalization, 73 patients died (19.8%). The most common concomitant diseases are diabetes mellitus (68.3%), obesity (42.6%) and hypertension (42.2%). Patients with diabetes mellitus had significantly higher mortality than those without diabetes mellitus, 22.3% and 14.1%, respectively (p = 0.04). Predictors of more severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in addition to gender, age and concomitant diseases are smoking, the presence of bilateral infiltrates, impaired renal function and accidental plasma glucose above 11.1 mmol / l.Conclusion: The more severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the diabetic population is probably due to older age, socio-economic factors, concomitant diseases, disorders of cell-mediated immunity. Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of death from any cause

Need for training and enhancement of professional knowledge and skills of health care professionals for burn patients

Introduction: Burn injuries are an important global public health problem of medical, social and economic importance. Burns are a daily occurrence in the domestic, professional and school environments of modern societies. They are an essential part of emergency conditions, leading to serious consequences for the health and life of the victims. The specificity of the treatment process and the care of patients with burns occupy a significant place for health care specialists participating in each stage of the treatment and diagnostic process, require a multidisciplinary approach of medical teams from all structures of the health system. This requires awareness and an increase in their professional competence, in terms of risk factors, trauma severity, pre-hospital behavior towards the victims at the scene of the accident, as well as the provision of first medical aid in outpatient settings which will contribute to a better quality of the medical care. Objective: to investigate the training, experience and competence, and the need to increase the professional knowledge and skills of health care professionals in relation to burns. Material and methods: Surveyed with a special questionnaire developed by the team are 54 nurses, average age 49.9 years, from the emergency and surgical departments of University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment - Burgas. Results: Well prepared theoretically and practically are 27.8% and 30.6% of respondents, respectively; do not have knowledge for dressing techniques for burns (25%), as well as for modern materials and local remedies for the treatment (33.3%). Standard nursing care protocols for burn patients were missing or inadequate (61.1%). a A need and desire for training and increasing professional knowledge and skills in burns was found among 74.9% of the respondents. Conclusion: There is a need to develop and update the training of nurses in the area of care for patients with burns