Rogue Valley doctors damaged public trust during coronavirus pandemic

The sacred trust between physician and community recently was violated by two rogue physicians who opted to recklessly spread inaccurate and untested information about COVID-19. These two created a public outcry that only fed the viral spread of bad information as they selfishly put their own interests above the public good.

In this internet age, we are used to unfounded conspiracy theories. What makes the actions of these two so damaging is that they used the inherent trust people have in their physicians to disseminate their bad information.

As CalMatters reporter Barbara Osterov wrote, “They dressed in scrubs. They sounded scientific. And the message from two Bakersfield doctors was exactly what many stuck-at-home Americans wanted to hear.”

Unfortunately, their message was 100% inaccurate. It was dangerous, and it earned sharp and immediate rebuke from their peers. These two do not speak for doctors and should not be mistaken for credible sources.

Public health experts quickly debunked the doctors’ findings as misguided and riddled with statistical errors. The American College of Emergency Physicians scolded the pair for cynically attempting “to advance their own financial interests without regard for the public’s health.”

Physicians are human, too. We understand the tremendous stress and discomfort that stay-at-home orders have created for people. We want to get back to normal. We know that people are hurting economically.

There is a right way to go about reopening our society. It must be anchored in scientific fact. Gov. Newsom has started to chart a course for California to get back to work, and back to something like our normal lives.

As COVID-19 has wreaked havoc, many people have opted to stay out of the doctors office. The number of reported stroke and heart attack cases in hospitals around the country is down as much as 30%. That’s not because people are having fewer strokes or heart attacks. It’s because people are trying to do the right thing by staying home, and many may be afraid of putting themselves in harm’s way by going to see a doctor. Unfortunately, this way of thinking may lead to much more complex problems in the future, as patients miss routine screenings and preventative care.

With proper safety precautions, a doctor’s office is one of the safest places for a patient to be. Reopening them is an important step. It’s not just emergency services. It’s also things like well-child visits, to ensure that kids are getting proper immunizations.

There is also evidence that the shutdown of pediatric practices has caused a drop in child abuse reporting. Cases of abuse are often caught during well child visits, which are not routinely happening.

While many of us have ramped up efforts to service patients with telehealth, certain things just can’t be done over the phone or in a Zoom meeting. All practices and facilities must adopt comprehensive safety protocols including universal masking for patients, physical distancing, and removing toys and magazines from waiting rooms.

The reopening of California’s health care system will not happen all at once, and will not be a one-size-fits-all approach. The size and scope of the pandemic calls for a regional, phased approach that recognizes local circumstances in various parts of this diverse state.

The road back from the COVID-19 pandemic will not be easy. As many have said, it will not simply be a light switch that is turned on all at once that allows us all to instantly return to the way things were a couple of months ago. It will be a winding road of ups and downs, with some trial and error. If we do it responsibly, we can ensure we are protecting each other the best we can, in a responsible way.