Background: SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the COVID-19 that has been declared a global pandemic by the WHO in 2020. The COVID-19 treatment guidelines vary in each country, and yet there is no approved therapeutic for COVID-19. Aims of the study: this review aimed to report any evidence of therapeutics used for the management of COVID-19 patients in clinical practice since the emergence of the virus. Methods: A systematic review protocol was developed based on PRISMA Statement. Articles for review were selected from electronic databases (Embase, Medline and Google Scholar). Readily accessible peer-reviewed full articles in English published from December 1 ^st , 2019 to March 26 ^th , 2020 were included. The search terms included combinations of: COVID, SARS-COV-2, glucocorticoids, convalescent plasma, antiviral, antibacterial. There were no restrictions on the type of study design eligible for inclusion. Results: As of March 26, 2020, of the initial manuscripts identified (n=449) articles. Forty-one studies were included, of which clinical trials (n=3), (case reports n=7), case series (n=10), retrospective (n=11) and prospective (n=10) observational studies. Thirty-six studies were conducted in China (88%). The most common mentioned and reported medicine in this systematic review was corticosteroids (n=25), followed by Lopinavir (n=21) and oseltamivir (n=16). Conclusions: This is the first systematic review up to date related to the therapeutics used in COVID-19 patients. Only forty-one research articles on COVID-19 and therapeutics were found eligible to be included, most conducted in China, corticosteroid therapy was found to be the most used medicine in these studies.

Hyperthyroidism is one of the primary dysfunctional thyroid diseases that results from abnormally high thyroid hormone secretion. It leads to metabolic derangement that manifests as heightened vital functions and metabolism and hyperdynamic blood circulation. Hyperthyroidism jeopardizes one’s quality of life and hampers the patient’s job performance. The disease is chronic but diagnosable and treatable and can be kept under control medically. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of suspected hyperthyroidism cases among a population sample in Jeddah city by using Wayne’s scoring and delineation of factors associated with the disease. A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 346 participants were conveniently selected from two shopping malls in Jeddah city during a five-day health awareness campaign. The data were collected by certified physicians, according to Wayne’s score inventory. The study included 194 women (56.1%) and 152 men (43.9%). The participants’ ages ranged from 16 to 56 years. The Wayne’s scores showed 80.6% were euthyroid, 18.2% equivocal, and 1.2% have hyperthyroidism. Bronchial asthma was significantly associated with hyperthyroidism in men, while obesity was significantly associated with hyperthyroidism in women. Age, gender, level of education, and family history of chronic diseases, including thyroid disorders, were not significantly associated with hyperthyroidism. Wayne’s scoring for hyperthyroidism, which is a noninvasive tool, in addition to its detection of hyperthyroidism cases, can predict patients with equivocal results or those that might be subclinical for further medical assessment and follow-up. A Wayne’s score can give the results of hyperthyroidism comparable to the results obtained by biochemical investigations. This tool is not in common use, but it is quite useful and should be put into broader usage.

This study aimed to assess the perceptions of staff working at the University of Jeddah (UJ) Medical Center on the possibility of finding new financing methods for the administration and privatization of the primary and specialized medical care services it provides. A questionnaire link was sent online targeting all staff at the UJ Medical Center (n = 141). The questionnaire comprised 17 items under the following sections: demographic information, staff perceptions about the current status of the services provided by the UJ Medical Center and the possibility of finding new financing methods and additional sources of revenue for the administration. Of the 101 questionnaires returned, the majority were filled by males (n = 71; 70.3%). One-third of the participants (n = 39; 38.6%) have between 5 and 9 years of working experience in Medical Administration, and most of them (n = 42; 41.6%) reported that they have a background in the concept of revenue development/privatization/self-resources/paid treatment. Most were satisfied with the current status of the services provided (average rating = 3.39/5). However, most participants (n = 72; 71.3%) reported that the UJ Medical Center is not ready for the Revenue Development Project of privatization. The survey respondents demonstrated satisfaction with the medical services provided by the UJ Medical Center and the potential application of the Revenue Development Project. However, streamlining the privatization process according to the governmental structures is crucial for it to be implemented properly at the UJ Medical Center.

Background: Understanding healthcare professionals’ expectations in telehealth is crucial for successful implementation. The present study used an adaptation of the antecedents-expectations model, supported by the social cognitive theory to evaluate physicians’ expectations regarding the implementation of telehealth in primary healthcare (PHC) and to investigate the potential influence, on expectations, of a prior telehealth experience (antecedents) during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted online, targeting PHC physicians. Expectations covered four telehealth performance domains including public health and health promotion, Care Quality and Workflow Organization, Patient’s Convenience and Engagement and Providers’ Value and Training. Antecedents included six domains including gain in self-efficacy, gain in knowledge, gain in participation/engagement, gain in experience, enjoyment and satisfaction. Stepwise linear regression was performed to analyse the effect of antecedents on overall expectations. Results: A total of 54 physicians participated in the study. The mean expectation score was 114.15/154 (SD = 28.26), with highest expectations concerning cost-effectiveness, care timeliness and patients’ convenience. A previous experience with smart apps and dedicated telehealth platforms was associated with lower expectations scores. Expectations scores were positively correlated with antecedents scores; however, satisfaction was the sole independent factor of overall expectations (regression coefficient B = 4.40, 95%CI: 3.11–5.68). Conclusion: The findings highlight the significance of previous experience and various antecedents in shaping physicians’ expectations about telehealth. These insights can inform the development of strategies and interventions to enhance healthcare professionals’ expectations and facilitate the successful implementation of telehealth services.