Having been the company physician of Rarejob for more than a year, it is my duty to supervise and monitor the general health of the employees as well as implement health programs or policies that will benefit their overall health and well-being. My experience as a company physician in different companies belonging to a wide range of fields, such as BPO, IT, hotels and casinos, and food manufacturing, equipped me with the right tools to ensure that health concerns of the employees are addressed. This can be done by means of conducting annual physical exams and health programs, securing and validating medical certificates, and performing medical consultations.

In light of this ongoing pandemic, it is inevitable for people to air to medical practitioners even the smallest of concerns when it comes to physical health. But what’s being ignored is the mental and emotional state, which goes hand in hand with physiological symptom development.

Indeed, it has been a challenge for us experts to be confined to virtual limitations, which may be far-reaching but lacking personal touch, physical cues, face-to-face interactions, and the like. Consultations are done through phone calls or video calls. In this setup, physical examination cannot be performed. Worried patients cannot be consoled; compassion cannot be expressed in its sincerest form. Much worse, treatment may be delayed if prescribed medicine is not purchased immediately, contrary to the availability of medicines in the clinic setup.

However, in my case, it continues to be a challenge, which I’m valiantly accepting head on, even if faced with patients who are hard to convince to undergo lab tests or diagnostic works because of the stress involved in going to healthcare facilities. The key here is to build rapport. Once established, negotiations and compromise become manageable.

But it does not end there. Coming up with a diagnosis based only on clinical history and medical documents/results requires in-depth analysis. A strong foundation is required especially when facing wellness concerns, such as stress or burnout, loneliness, family issues, unhealthy eating, and lack of sleep.

I advise the employees to stay healthy by being active, eating healthy food, managing time, and communicating well with families and colleagues.

Under the WFH setup, even little tasks can help, such as showering and dressing up for work, having a regular schedule and sticking to it, setting up a separate office space with a good chair, not letting work bleed over into personal time, keeping the kitchen stocked with healthy snacks and meals, and maintaining healthy social connections.

In these trying times, we need all the help we could get, and we are always here to assist you.