How the Pandemic Is Changing Healthcare

Healthcare systems faced unprecedented challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, there have been various changes reflected in both practices and policies that have been direct results of the pandemic. Though changes will continue to evolve as the pandemic continues, here are just a few of the significant changes currently seen in the American healthcare system.

Telehealth

Before the pandemic, telehealth was mainly a possibility people were considering; hardly anyone had implemented it in a meaningful way. However, many medical facilities are now offering some kind of telehealth services. While there will always be many procedures and tests that can only be performed in person, telehealth has developed rapidly into an excellent way to offer consultations and guidance for patients outside of the office. With social distancing measures in place and long waitlists for appointments, people have been able to virtually connect with physicians to determine the urgency of treatment for symptoms, get advice on how to treat minor conditions, and schedule follow-up appointments without waiting in an office or risking exposure to germs.

Focus on Mental Health

Stress levels ran high early in the pandemic amidst shutdowns, layoffs, and overall uncertainty about public health and the future. With people hardly leaving their homes and seeing scary headlines day after day, it was no wonder that healthcare workers saw a spike in mental health conditions. While mental health awareness was rising before the pandemic, it has become incredibly prominent now, and more primary care physicians are starting to shift more focus onto mental health care for their patients. Expanding community resources and the overall mental health care workforce is underway, and the need for more trained professionals is immense.

Insurance and Payment Changes

Access to care is another challenge that was raised during the pandemic. Insurance challenges, how payments are processed, how hospitals charge patients, and more financial questions have been carefully considered in the wake of the pandemic. Expect to see hospitals evaluating how patients pay for healthcare services and even businesses exploring alternatives to insurance for providing healthcare benefits for employees.

Better Preparedness

Finally, COVID-19 quickly revealed a lack of preparedness for large public health crises in the healthcare industry. Hospitals and healthcare systems are exploring plans for increasing numbers of healthcare workers if similar situations occur in the future. These plans include ideas such as creating a network of retired healthcare professionals and furthering contact-tracing systems. A country can never be entirely prepared for a crisis like a pandemic, but these steps will hopefully help prevent as much chaos and uncertainty if similar situations ever arise again.

Just as the pandemic took a toll on various industries throughout the world, it also took its hit on healthcare. In fact, this industry was most likely the hardest hit. Healthcare workers had to adjust overnight to an overwhelming issue that they had no control over. Their health was at risk over a virus that we knew little about at the time. However, their perseverance has been an inspiration to other industries throughout the course of the pandemic. The resiliency of healthcare workers is a trait that numerous other professionals have since applied to their work ethic and innovative problem-solving efforts.

With severe cases being on the decline, we now see the aftermath of the pandemic playing out. One thing that has become clear is that the healthcare industry might have implemented some changes that are here to stay, as were outlined above. The convenience of telehealth and the increased ability to prepare for the unlikely, as well as other factors implemented throughout the pandemic, have better-prepared hospitals for the future.