"It would have been more difficult for me in an individual practice," says Sabrina Guggacher*. The family doctor works in a group practice. "There is an intensive exchange there that helps." Guggacher's example shows: The new syndrome brings with it countless challenges, not only for those affected by Long COVID, which may push some to their own limits. The situation can also be difficult for general practitioners.
The exchange with colleagues gives Sabrina Guggacher the security that she is on the right track. "As a family doctor, there is always a slight element of fear: Am I missing something? Do I have to clarify anything else?" she says. A good team helps here - and in some cases a second opinion from specialists.
Happy about the long COVID consultations
Sabrina Guggacher had the first patient with Long COVID in September 2020. "Long COVID was not a big issue at the time. So we went looking, we checked the lungs and the heart", she reports. When various hospitals opened Long COVID consultation hours a few months later, it was also a relief for the family doctor. She sent there her two patients with Long COVID and was happy to receive confirmation that she had made no mistakes.
"The patients found these consultation hours to be positive," says Guggacher. "People also work there who are affected themselves and therefore contribute with their own experiences." After the appointment with the specialists, Sabrina Guggacher remains responsible for long-term support. "My role as a family doctor is then more to slow down the drive. It is important not to exhaust yourself, to include breaks", she reports.
One death and two long COVID cases
Most of the cases of COVID-19 that Sabrina Guggacher looked after were mild, which she is very happy about. One patient deteriorated rapidly and died within three days in the intensive care unit. "That was my worst experience with COVID-19." And then just two confirmed cases of Long COVID.
"Sometimes the patients were very well informed. For me as a family doctor, it was very challenging to always be up to date, as far as it is possible" admits Sabrina Guggacher. So she also learned from the patients, but had to separate useful knowledge from pseudo-knowledge.
«This is a completely new situation. I cannot rely on old knowledge. "
"COVID was a completely new situation," says Guggacher. Otherwise she can rely on old experiences - in this case it didn't work. "So I had to look at each case individually and keep saying: 'I just don't know!' ". This also applies to the patient side: Sometimes Sabrina Guggacher is confronted with expectations that are not realistic.
Never doubted Long COVID
People affected by Long COVID often report that they do not feel that their doctors are taking them seriously. Was Sabrina Guggacher also sometimes skeptical? "Never," she says. Of course, if you are tired and exhausted, we ask you how things are in general in life. "As a general practitioner, I ultimately have to form a holistic picture." But in her cases she was able to rule out other causes such as depression: "They are in the middle of life and really want to work again!" That is stressful enough for those affected. "There was no doubt about it."
"They are right in the middle of life and really want to work again!"
As a family doctor, she sees this as her job anyway: "We have to take the patients seriously in the boat in which they are currently sitting." After all, she also sees the other end of the spectrum: patients who completely deny the existence of COVID-19, who come up with conspiracy theories and become aggressive when it comes to vaccinations or masks. "I have to take these patients seriously, too." It is important to keep the openness and not to categorize patients.
Sabrina Guggacher tries to do everyone justice as much as possible - even if that sometimes only means being there patiently for patients who are in the dark. "I often can't just pull out a remedy and everything will be fine again." This is what distinguishes general practitioners from specialists who have a specific problem that they can then usually solve. "Long-term support is my everyday life as a family doctor. There is not always a solution for everything." Sometimes that's all she can do: "Endure the difficult situation together."
Cover picture: Symbol picture Adobe Stock
*Anonymity at Altea
«Sabrina Guggacher» is not the real name of the health professional presented here, but a pseudonym- The pseudonym is used to protect the person’s privacy given the political character of the topic.
Altea publishes their story because we believe that the health professional’s perspective is very important: on the one hand for other colleagues, on the other hand for affected people and their families.
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