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COVID-19 Resources

Mar 11
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Top Immediate Needs of Remote Employees

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Remote-Work-SanovaWorks

Source: ODAC Dermatology Conference’s Parent Company, SanovaWorks

NEW YORK (Mar. 11, 2020) – A Note from Shelley Tanner, SanovaWorks CEO/President

SanovaWorks transitioned into a 100% virtual company at the end 2012 at the same time press was reporting market leaders like Yahoo and Best Buy stopped all remote work at their companies. To the outside world, it seemed like we were making a crazy decision, heading in the opposite direction from global brand in terms of office culture and environment. We were convinced of the many benefits, so without hesitation we transitioned from two floors of a small office building on Park Avenue South in Manhattan, to a completely remote workforce.

I realize that due to the Coronavirus outbreak many companies are forced to transition some or all of their teams into remote teams without a solid plan, and so I felt compelled to share some of my thoughts on this matter.

The main things remote employees need in the short term are:

  1. Access to information immediately
  2. Regular communication
  3. Clear visibility of priority and goals

For this reason, I am including some of my “must-haves”:

  • Use video conference tools, not the phone. It take more internet bandwidth, but it provides a more engaged experience of meetings. If you don’t know what I’m talking about watch this live enactment of a conference call by phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYu_bGbZiiQ
  • Use online project management tools for collaboration and project tracking. We use Wrike.com but there are many other options like Asana or Basecamp.
  • Use online file storage for easy access to documents. We use Egnyte, but there are options like Dropbox and Google also.
  • Ask for feedback. Don’t be afraid to ask what people think. Communicate that this is new and you are figuring it out, but want to support your teams and accomplish results in this new environment. Your teams will give valuable insight into accomplishing results.
  • Commute time turns into connect time: With a remote culture – everything can feel like a meeting. Be prepared for a feeling of meeting fatigue and get out ahead of it making meetings meaningful with clear agendas and timekeeping, etc.

If anyone has specific questions please comment on the Linked In post or direct message me and if I can’t answer, I will ask one of my extremely competent virtual team.

Best to all during these challenging times,

Shelley

Feb 29
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ODAC and JDD Help Identify Need for Disaster Preparation in Dermatology

By COVID-19 Resources No Comments
JDD ODAC Disaster preparedness Adam Friedman

Source: George Washington University, ODAC and JDD

A new study from the George Washington University found that many dermatologists are unprepared to respond to biological disasters and that the specialty would benefit from formal preparedness training.

WASHINGTON (Jan. 30, 2020) — The dermatology community is inadequately prepared for a biological disaster and would benefit from a formal preparedness training program, according to a study from the George Washington University (GW). The article is published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.

Natural and man-made disasters can cause a range of dermatologic conditions due to environmental exposures, such as secondary infections following a flood, irritation from blistering agents used in chemical warfare, and acute and chronic effects of cutaneous radiation syndrome. A 2003 survey revealed that 88% of dermatologists felt unprepared to respond to a biological attack — this new survey shows that the need for training still exists.

“Recognizing and diagnosing the conditions that can arise following a disaster requires diagnostic acumen, knowledge on reporting, and short- and long-term management strategies,” said Adam Friedman, MD, interim chair of the Department of Dermatology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and senior author on the study.

This current survey from an interdisciplinary team of dermatology and emergency medicine researchers, led by Emily Murphy, a research fellow in the GW Department of Dermatology, examines whether the field of dermatology has advanced in its bioterrorism preparedness.

The survey, disseminated via the ODAC Dermatology, Aesthetic & Surgical conference listserv, found that only 28.9% of respondents received training in disaster preparedness and response. The respondents to the survey frequently commented that they felt dermatologists should be prepared for bioterrorism-related cutaneous diseases, such as anthrax or smallpox-related diseases, as well as infections resulting from natural disasters.

Similar to the 2003 survey, the authors found that few dermatologists received adequate bioterrorism preparedness training. Even among those who had reported training, many indicated they felt ill prepared to manage patients affected by disasters, especially biological attacks and nuclear or radiological events.

“While few respondents to the survey were trained in disaster preparedness, it is encouraging that 75% reported that it should be included in dermatology training,” Friedman said. “It is a necessary tool to advance the field.”

James Phillips, MD, section chief of disaster and operational medicine in the GW Department of Emergency Medicine, director of the GW Disaster Medicine Fellowship, and co-author on the study, agreed: “My fellows and I found great value in partnering with our dermatology colleagues for this project. It is my firm belief that, while disaster medicine and emergency management primarily fall within the scope of emergency medicine and trauma surgery, education, and training for other specialties is of great value and is virtually unexplored. In an increasingly complex disaster environment, we welcome such research collaborations with other GW specialists.”

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The article, titled “A Survey of Dermatologists’ Preparedness for Natural and Man-made Disasters,” is published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology and can be found at jddonline.com/articles/dermatology/S1545961620P0016X/1.

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