Wuhan Doctor Creates Group Chat for Global Health Professionals

Ye Baixin,an associate chief physician from the Hematology Department of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and an active internet user,has always recognized the significant role the internet played in life.In January,he called on his Chinese alumni in the US to donate medical materials to Wuhan.In March,he called for donations for foreign countries.Through his communication with the frontline medics overseas,Ye came to know what the foreign counterparts needed was not only medical supplies,but also relevant knowledge,experience,and confidence in defeating the disease.So he wanted to do something to help them.

On March 22,Ye started a WeChat group chat dedicated to COVID-19 experience sharing.Soon many doctors in China and their foreign counterparts who were fighting at the frontline against COVID-19 joined the chat room.Within hours 500 doctors joined in,reaching the maximum number of one group chat.Then Tencent,the company that runs WeChat,updated it into a “corporate chat room” that allowed 10,000 members to join.Functions like live broadcast,videoconferences,and remote consultation were available.Now,more than 2,500 medical workers from over 20 countries including the US,Germany,France,and Italy are in the chat room,with 485 from China.Some prestigious Chinese medical experts as Prof.Zhang Wenhong from Huashan Hospital of Fudan University,Prof.Zhang Jinnong from Wuhan Union Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Prof.Hu Ke from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University are all members.They are engaged in communicating with foreign counterparts about COVID-19,offering their professional suggestions.Hence doctors have gained more confidence in their fight against the virus.

The platform works 24/7.“For doctors,every minute counts.Every question asked in the group might be a matter of life or death,” said Ye Baixin.The staff are all volunteers who are fully aware of the pandemic in the world that some of them are still answering questions even late at night,sharing their own experience in the battle.Up to May 9,they had already organized 10 video conferences.

In the first conference on March 28,Prof.Zhang Jinnong,director of the Emergency Department at Wuhan Union Hospital,recalled his personal struggle with the viral infection and his own reflections on the treatment.Ye Baixin would collect questions from overseas medics beforehand and transfer these questions to speakers.This way,the speaker could tailor their content to audiences.Each video conference has been recorded and can be replayed so that they are available to viewers in different areas and countries.

Dr.Ye Baixin shows the WeChat group chat to the reporters叶柏新向记者展示正在热烈讨论的全球抗疫交流群

叶柏新，中国武汉大学人民医院血液科副主任医师，特别看重网络的力量，也是一个网络积极分子。今年1月和3月，他曾呼吁海外华人校友募集医药物资援汉，又号召大家募集物资援外。交流中，他得知海外医生不仅缺物资，还缺知识、经验和信心，想帮他们做点力所能及的事。

为了这个朴素的愿望，3月22日，他发起建立了一个治疗COVID-19 的经验交流群，国内同行踊跃参与，海外同行也不断把他们奋战在抗疫一线的同行拉进群里，人越来越多，数小时内，加群人数就达到500 人限额，腾讯公司特意将其扩容为“万人群”，可以实现直播、病例讨论、远程会诊等。如今，已有来自美国、德国、法国、意大利等20 多个国家的2500 余名医务人员加入。其中，中国医务人员485 名，复旦大学附属华山医院张文宏教授、华中科技大学附属武汉协和医院张劲农教授、武汉大学人民医院胡克教授都在其中，他们提供专业指导，传递信心力量，和世界同行切磋交流。

交流群24 小时有人应答。“医生们必须争分夺秒，在看不见的那头，可能就关乎一个生命的救援。”叶柏新说。群成员都是志愿者，但心系世界疫情，有的深夜还在线应答，分享自身治疗经过。截至5月9日，群里已经进行了10 场直播。

3月28日，首场直播中，张劲农讲述了自己曾不慎感染新冠肺炎的经历，以及在治疗过程中的心得。在后来的直播前，叶柏新先通过接龙的方式征集海外医务人员的问题，让直播的主讲教授更具针对性；每次直播内容都可重播，以满足不同地区同行的时差需求。

American doctors show the masks donated from Wuhan doctors美国医生收到武汉同行捐赠的口罩

On May 2,Song Enfeng,director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Department at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University shared his experience of battling against the epidemic by applying TCM clinical treatment through the live streaming.“TCM has accumulated rich experience of treating various epidemics in the past thousands of years.With oriental wisdom offered in TCM,we have confidence in coping with COVID-19,and we do have some good curative effects,” said Song.It has been proven that TCM has played a positive role in relieving symptoms of sore throat,cough,and restoring fatigue in clinical treatment.Song’s lecture caused a sensation among the viewers—some foreign medics were seeking out the mysterious oriental medicine.Ye himself also mailed some Chinese patent medicines to his American tutor and two of his alumni abroad,and hope they would feel the charm of Chinese medicine.Ye said that some Chinese TCM experts had already accumulated some anti-epidemic resources and data which would be shared with international counterparts for further analysis.

“The platform is still at its early stage,with many details yet to be improved.Nevertheless,it’s a good beginning for many medical workers in the world who can learn from the Chinese experience in fighting against COVID-19.

No matter which country we are from,as a doctor,we have the responsibility to care for every patient,respect every life and save every patient.At this critical moment when the virus is plaguing the world,each group member is committed to helping and supporting each other,strengthening cooperation and sharing experience.We hope more medics overseas will join us.By working together,we will defeat the epidemic and safeguard our common community.It is the common aspiration of all medics since they joined the chat room.” (Translation: Liu Jie)

Song Enfeng,director from TCM Department at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University is live streaming through WeChat to share his experience of fighting against the epidemic武汉大学人民医院中医科主任宋恩峰在微信群里进行抗疫直播

5月2日，武汉大学人民医院中医科主任宋恩峰直播分享中医药抗疫经验，他说：“中医治疗瘟疫数千年，以古老的智慧应对沉疴，我们有底气，也确实收获了疗效。”他说，在临床实践观察中，中医药对于减轻患者咽喉疼痛、缓解咳嗽症状、体力恢复有积极作用。讲座一石激起千层浪，部分海外医务人员纷纷寻求来自东方的神秘中药。叶柏新也给在美国的导师及两位校友寄出中成药，让他们真切感受东方医药的魅力。他说，抗疫期间，国内中医专家们已积累了一些数据，经过系统分析后,不久将呈现给全球同行。

“交流群处在草创之初，还有诸多细节需要完善，但毕竟世界上有不少医务工作者听到、看到、借鉴到中国的抗疫经验，这是个良好的开端。真诚关怀每一个生者、尊重每一个生命、全力拯救每一个病患，这是医者良心，也是医者之职，不分国界。在病毒肆虐的当下，守望相助、加强合作、共享经验，让更多的海外医务人员加入进来，最终携手战胜这场瘟疫，维护人类共同家园，这是交流群里每一位群成员所祈愿和秉持的。”叶柏新表示。

“武汉的防疫经验启迪着我们前行。”不少海外医护人员表示。医生Jennifer 在收到多位中国医生发出的英文解答后，在群里连发了3 个点赞的“大拇指”。