LETTER TO EDITOR Year : 2022  |  Volume : 11  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 38

Discharge against medical advice in patients during the COVID-19 outbreak: Correspondence

Pathum Sookaromdee1, Viroj Wiwanitkit2
1 Private Academic Consultant, Bangkok, Thailand
2 Department of Community Medicine, Dr. DY Patil University, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Date of Submission27-Nov-2021Date of Decision27-Nov-2021Date of Acceptance27-Nov-2021Date of Web Publication29-Mar-2022

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Pathum Sookaromdee
Private Academic Consultant, Bangkok
Thailand

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None

DOI: 10.4103/rcm.rcm_60_21

How to cite this article:
Sookaromdee P, Wiwanitkit V. Discharge against medical advice in patients during the COVID-19 outbreak: Correspondence. Res Cardiovasc Med 2022;11:38
How to cite this URL:
Sookaromdee P, Wiwanitkit V. Discharge against medical advice in patients during the COVID-19 outbreak: Correspondence. Res Cardiovasc Med [serial online] 2022 [cited 2022 Mar 29];11:38. Available from: https://www.rcvmonline.com/text.asp?2022/11/1/38/341267

Dear Editor,

We would like to share ideas on “Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) in patients with acute coronary syndrome during the COVID-19 outbreak.[1]” Parhizgar et al. concluded that “We herein demonstrated a considerable rate of DAMA in patients with elevated modified HEART risk scores referring to the emergency … … …. pathways in non-COVID-19 patients.[1]” We agree that there are many new discharge against medical advice (DAMA) during the COVID-19 outbreak, and it might cause a new emerging problem in caring of patients with acute coronary syndrome. It is a basic right of the patient to request for discharge. However, it is also a legal duty of physicians to give health care to the patient with a critical illness.[2] When COVID-19 emerges, fearfulness is common. Patients might have an excessive fearfulness and might improperly request for DAMA. There should be a specific patient education for reassurance before DAMA, and if DAMA occurs, a system for monitoring of patients should be set. Finally, excessive fearfulness among practitioners might also occur. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, many health-care centers might limit service or postpone many medical procedures.[3] Effect on patients might also occur. A good plan to maintain appropriate necessary service is necessary.

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Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

 

  References 
1.Parhizgar SE, Vahedinezhad M, Yari T, Mohajer B, Maghsoudloo Z, Sadeghipour P, et al. Discharge against medical advice in patients with acute coronary syndrome during the COVID-19 outbreak. Res Cardiovasc Med 2021;10:79-82.  
  [Full text]  2.Friedman DN, Blackler L, Alici Y, Scharf AE, Chin M, Chawla S, et al. COVID-19-related ethics consultations at a cancer center in New York City: A content review of ethics consultations during the early stages of the pandemic. JCO Oncol Pract 2021;17:e369-76.  
    3.Harjai KJ, Agarwal S, Bauch T, Bernardi M, Casale AS, Green S, et al. Coronary and structural heart disease interventions during COVID-19 pandemic: A road map for clinicians and health care delivery systems. Cardiovasc Revasc Med 2020;21:939-45.