Disaster response and COVID-19: was safety and health a priority among medical doctors in Serbia?

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has an unimaginable impact on the global health workforce. Health workers are deployed as frontline workers to rapidly respond to increasing patient needs. This study aimed to examine the preparedness of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect their own safety and health. An online survey was conducted among physicians licensed by the Serbian Medical Chamber in September 2020. The Ethics Committee of the Serbian Medical Chamber approved this study (Decision No: 1462/September 15, 2020). The sample consisted of 1,553 physicians who completed the online questionnaire. Almost two thirds (64%) of the physicians worked with COVID-19 patients, and around one third (34%) were deployed to a different work position. Physicians working with COVID-19 patients were younger, less-experienced (mean work experience 14 years vs. 19.5 years) and more commonly non-specialists. Less than 39% of physicians deployed to work with COVID-19 patients had gone through the training on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), 60% had adequate PPE available daily, and 86% reported using the PPE according to the recommendations. Having proper training regarding the use of PPE and using the PPE according to the recommendations was less common in private compared to public health institutions (31% vs 40% for training, and 89% vs 75% for adequate use, respectively). Workers engaged to work with COVID-19 patients, compared to those who were not engaged, indicated the need for professional changes to respond to the COVID-19 emergency, especially in the areas of workforce planning, education and training, workload measurement and tracking. Younger and less experienced physicians with questionable training and availability of PPE were deployed to work in COVID-19 hospitals and units, and their health and safety was a secondary priority to the primary duty of caring for patients in need. Key messages Younger and less experienced physicians with questionable training and availability of PPE were deployed to work in COVID-19 hospitals and units. Health and safety was a secondary priority to the primary duty of caring for patients in need.