key: cord-0849941-kz9c3pcq
authors: Blanch-Rubió, Josep; Llorente-Onaindia, Jone; Benito, Pere; Monfort, Jordi
title: Reumataxi: An experience of solidarity in times of COVID-19
date: 2020-10-15
journal: Reumatologia clinica
DOI: 10.1016/j.reumae.2020.04.002
sha: dc21e3a6f11e6db43fa6e603d75d9e31a47ea0ff
doc_id: 849941
cord_uid: kz9c3pcq

nan

This has meant that specialists, including rheumatologists, have had to take on the care of these patients. This reorganization has imposed 8 and 12-hour work shifts. In addition, there is a shortage of public transport and shift changes at inconvenient times, creating travel problems for colleagues who do not have their own vehicles. Many of our colleagues have had to enter or leave their workplace late at night. Some do not have individual transport and have been forced to use public transport, which is scarce and runs at inconvenient times, causing discomfort and anxiety which add to the buildup of fatigue and stress.

To mitigate these adversities as much as possible, in the rheumatology department of Barcelona's Hospital Universitario del Mar, we have established a transport system for rheumatologists who must attend the work centre. Three volunteers from the department itself (JBR, PBR and JLO), taken off direct care of COVID patients for various reasons, and with their own vehicles have offered to drive their colleagues to work and collect them from their homes and / or vice versa. This operates via a WhatsApp® chat specific to the rheumatology department where the "Reumataxi" driver on duty sends a message each day to inform that he/she is on duty. The colleagues who need the service make it clear and internally (WhatsApp® or by phone) agree on the place and time for collection. The service has been running from March 21st until today. With a high level J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f of satisfaction of both its users and the "Reumataxi "drivers". There has been approximately one service a day, the most in demand being the one at 23h. The service is provided in the vehicle of the "Reumataxi" driver, in most cases with only one passenger in the back of the vehicle, protected by face masks and gloves.

We want to tell the rheumatologist community about this initiative as it is, in our humble opinion, a supportive and original way of mitigating these times of crisis and the problems that this new situation is causing.

World Health Organization