In this new normal for the healthcare industry, we can’t escape asking clients and colleagues how COVID-19 has affected current service offerings. While bracing for change was something to prioritize and evaluate during the early months of the pandemic, now we see hospitals getting ‘back to business.’
All hospitals should now be working to restart elective services and boost all types of procedure volumes back to pre-COVID levels. According to the Harvard Business Review, “factors have resulted in an astounding number of patients failing to receive the medical attention they need” …and as healthcare professionals, it is our duty to first and foremost serve the patient.
Corazon offers several means of providing Service Restoration support. Our approach prepares an organization and its physicians for a seamless transition to post pandemic operations, and provides recommendations and measures for future disaster preparedness. Corazon focuses on facility guidance, staff management, physician collaboration, crisis leadership, critical operational / service adjustments, and overall quality and patient safety. These crucial aspects of returning to (new) normal should be reviewed and implemented by hospitals across the country, regardless of size and service scope.
Corazon’s Remote Telehealth Mobilization is another approach that has helped many organizations mitigate the COVID-19 impact. The pandemic caused a magnitude of industries to evolve into new models that include virtual interaction, and the healthcare industry is no different. Many of the simpler consultations and clinic visits are now conducted remotely, which will likely continue even as COVID concerns lessen in some areas. Corazon has developed an approach for hospitals to review and/or enhance their telehealth capabilities, or implement them if not already in place.
Hospitals should consider an evaluation of the proper infrastructure, compliance with the latest federal and state regulations and laws, service and equipment analysis, and a calculation of any necessary expenses. Essentially, the goal is to complete a rapid evaluation of the current and/or future telehealth service and supportive implementation measures to enact changes simultaneously so that critical needs are immediately addressed.
Capitalizing on at least one of these two areas of support described above is a great way to be better prepared for any unexpected future event, as well as staying ahead of the curve and the competition. No one knows what the future holds in terms of ongoing continued COVID impacts. While it certainly isn’t feasible to be 100% prepared for everything that may come in the future days, weeks, months or even years, it IS feasible to do everything in our power now to make sure contingency plans are established and implemented. As we move forward from one of the darkest and trying times in our modern history in healthcare, it’s important to remember how we acted, how fast we took action, and what we learned from not acting at all.
Covid-19 Created an Elective Surgery Backlog. How Can Hospitals Get Back on Track?
