Hear the Voice of Frontline Treaters – InCrowd’s COVID-19 Research

In late January, as Americans were watching the coronavirus sweep through Asia and Europe, we wanted to understand how US physicians were feeling about the virus and their views on the impact it could have on our country. That inquiry began InCrowd’s COVID-19 research series, which has evolved to encompass frontline-treating physicians, non-frontline specialists, high-need patients, nurses, and pharmacists. During the course of our research, respondents offered to speak with us occasionally to address certain questions. As our research progressed and physicians’ frustrations grew, it was clear that they wanted to be heard. In response, we began giving them opportunities to share their stories by way of video. This set of playlists represents the collection of videos that we have gathered from physicians during the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19 Frontline Physician Tracking Report – Wave 4

On April 14-15, 2020, when the 204 wave-4 respondents began their surveys, it’s important to note what was happening in the US and the world in relation to the coronavirus. Some key milestones and events had occurred in the weeks prior to fielding:

• On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
• On March 13, 2020, the US declared COVID-19 a national emergency.
• April 2, 2020, marked the day the world hit 1 million in known infections.
• On April 10, 2020, the global death toll for COVID-19 surpassed 100,000.
• And April 11, 2020, saw 22 million Americans file for unemployment.

Respondents for this survey were US Primary Care Physicians (61), Pediatricians (59), and Emergency Medicine or Critical Care Specialists (83), who were treating 20 or more patients with flu-like symptoms at the time they took the 10-minute MicroSurvey.

Perspectives of Frontline Physicians on Plans to Reopen US States

When the 250 frontline-treating physicians were completing their surveys to share their views on the easing of shelter-in-place regulations on May 11-13, 2020, some things of note are relevant for context as we consider their insights:

• On April 15, 2020, global COVID-19 cases surpassed 2 million.
• Gilead’s Remdesivir got emergency use approval from the FDA to help treat COVID-19 on May 1, 2020.
• On May 3, 2020, the US had its day with the highest single deaths, 2,900, at that point in time.
• The world reached 4+ million in known cases on May 11, 2020.

Respondents for this survey were Emergency Medicine or Critical Care Physicians (180), Hospitalists (60), and Pulmonologists (10) from 25 states reopened or in the process of reopening, who were treating 10 or more patients with flu-like symptoms at the time. They took a six-minute MicroSurvey.

COVID-19 Frontline Physician Tracking Report – Wave 5

On May 29-30, 2020, the 204 respondents for wave 5 of the frontline-treater research filled the survey in just 8 hours. A few contextual items of note prior to the end of May include:

• May 12, 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testified to the US Senate that the death toll of 80,000 was likely underestimated.
• May 14, 2020, marked more than 36 million American workers who had filed for unemployment.
• The CDC reported on May 26, 2020, that more than 62,000 US COVID-19 frontline healthcare providers had been infected and at least 291 had died.
• On May 27, 2020, the US reached 100,000 COVID-19 deaths.

Respondents for this survey were US Primary Care Physicians (62), Pediatricians (60), and Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Specialists (82), who were treating 20 or more patients with flu-like symptoms at the time. They took a 10-minute MicroSurvey.

Non-Frontline Treaters – Wave 2

Just before InCrowd’s 201 non-frontline treating specialists were beginning their second-wave survey on June 12-13, 2020:

• The US hit its 10^th straight week with unemployment claims in the millions, with 2.1 million Americans filing first-time unemployment claims on May 28, 2020.
• On May 31, 2020, global coronavirus cases surpassed 6 million.
• Results from a study of Remdesivir on June 1, 2020, showed improvements in patients with moderate COVID-19 cases.
• The US hit 2 million cases of COVID-19 on June 10, 2020.

Respondents for this survey were US Oncologists (40), Neurologists (33), Rheumatologists (33), Cardiologists (33), Gastroenterologists (33), and Dermatologists (29). They took a seven-minute MicroSurvey.

COVID-19 Frontline Physician Tracking Report – Wave 6

COVID-19 frontline treater wave 6 research fielded on June 26, 2020. It was a fast turnaround, with 211 respondents completing the survey in just six hours. In the days leading up to this survey, events of note related to COVID-19 were:

• The end of two studies on the efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment (the WHO on June 18, 2020 and the NIH on June 20, 2020).
• Research released June 22, 2020 that suggested 80% of COVID case in March went undetected.
• Texas paused reopening after spikes in COVID-19 cases throughout the state on June 25, 2020.
• Florida’s Governor closed down bars to mitigate the virus spread as it tore through the state on June 26, 2020.

Respondents for this survey were US Primary Care Physicians (63), Pediatricians (58), and Emergency Medicine or Critical Care Specialists (90). They took a 12-minute MicroSurvey.

References:

AJMC Staff, American Journal of Managed Care, A Timeline of COVID-19 Developments in 2020, AJMC, July 3, 2020.
Alan Berube, What weekly unemployment claims reveal about the local impacts of the COVID-19 recession, Brookings, May 14, 2020.
Robin Muccari, Denise Chow, and Joe Murphy, Coronavirus timeline: Tracking the critical moments of COVID-19, NBC News, March 10, 2020, updated July 8, 2020.
Holly Secon, Aylin Woodward, and Dave Mosher, A comprehensive timeline of the coronavirus pandemic at 6 months, from China’s first case to the present, Business Insider, updated June 30, 2020.