The pandemic accelerated many trends in healthcare, including telehealth and data analytics.
However, it has also exposed areas of weakness, and there are some concerns emerging about how the industry will evolve amid the pandemic and for years to come. Here are 10 concerns and key considerations.
1. Healthcare organizations continue to struggle with population health. Many healthcare organizations that had issues executing population health initiatives before the pandemic are having an even harder time now as hospitals take a financial hit and at-risk populations are seeing higher rates of infection and death from the virus. "We're reading about reductions in traditional primary care and well visits across all age groups," said Professor Sanket Shah, clinical assistant professor for biomedical and health information sciences at the University of Illinois, Chicago. "Overall the reductions in elective surgeries and routine procedures may impact the course of care provided for an individual."
For example, what will the long-term implications be for individuals who don't have their regular cancer screenings or children who don't have their scheduled vaccinations? "While some transition to virtual consultations, engaging the entire patient population to continue their course must be a primary focus," said Mr. Shah.