Challenges as Opportunities: Adapting Tele-Education for Physicians Collaborative Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic challenge provided us with impetus to innovate and provide rapid solutions. We have successfully launched multiple tele-education online learning programs through a Pakistani diaspora and local physician collaborative that have been extremely effective. The programs were launched form the platform of Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) and include Daily COVID-19 Webinars, Weekly Case Discussions, online discussion groups, themed webinars on psychosocial health of physicians, ventilator management, critical care nursing and primary care. So far 40 webinars have been hosted for over 1800 physicians with multiple institutional partners and are developing online short courses on these topics. We have used this as a learning opportunity, creation of new collaboration with Pakistani institutions and diaspora organization. We take this challenge as an opportunity to rapidly learn successful ways and avenues of collaborating in future with our Pakistani physician partners in Pakistan.