How Pandemic has Transformed the Healthcare Industry

To say that the coronavirus pandemic has changed the world would be an understatement. Along with the millions of lives it claimed, COVID-19 has also impacted those who survived it, and those who never caught it at all.

It has affected the healthcare industry the most. Before the onset of the pandemic, digital transformation in the industry was already progressing, but not at rigorously.

These technological initiatives were largely considered as a nice bonus to the conventional, in-person model of care. However, the pandemic shattered the old ways of thinking in the healthcare industry and considerably speeded up the adoption and implementation of such solutions.

Learn more about the transformative effects of the pandemic on healthcare:

The Telehealth Boom

Not that long ago, the idea of 'visiting' your doctor using your cell phone or computer wasn't just strange, it was also discouraged unless it was absolutely necessary. There were serious concerns about the effectiveness and the value of such an arrangement.

Accordingly, many of the healthcare providers who were offering online doctor consultation services were doing it as an afterthought, while in-person visits and check-ups continued to be the norm.

It should be noted, though, that even in its rudimentary form, telehealth was still of great use to people living in tiny towns and remote areas.

For such people, telehealth was the only way they could access quality healthcare without having to drive for miles to the nearest major town or having to wait for days to get an appointment.

Even though the system was faulty, it was better than nothing.

In March 2020, in response to the paradigm shift brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office for Civil Rights: the division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that acts as the enforcer for HIPAA - temporarily waived any potential HIPAA violations for the 'good faith' use of telehealth. It announced that it wouldn't be bringing penalties for potential violations of HIPAA.

As a result of this waiver, the healthcare industry quickly started working on providing patients with telehealth options.

This has involved considerable effort, not just for improving infrastructure and equipment but also for training healthcare providers and patients to productively interact in the digital space.

Virtual healthcare, telehealth, or telemedicine, whatever you call it, the fact is that what was once considered an alternative option became an essential part of the new normal.

A study in June 2020-merely three months after the HIPAA waiver by OCR was published-reported that before the coronavirus pandemic, the telehealth industry in the United States was worth $3 billion, whereas, after the pandemic, it could grow to a whopping $250 billion.

The Takeaway

More than a year into the pandemic, physicians and patients alike have grown more comfortable with telemedicine.

It's now the responsibility of healthcare providers to ensure that adequate resources-financial, organizational, and human-are dedicated to constantly upgrading and improving their telehealth systems.

Going forward, even when we've overcome the coronavirus crisis, telehealth is likely to become a standard practice everywhere, thanks to its convenience and practicality.

More Streamlined Service

In the United States especially, an average patient has to jump through all kinds of hoops and navigate a path through red tape and inconvenient policies in order to receive healthcare.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed this dynamic, bringing the focus back on the patients themselves and compelling healthcare providers to come up with innovative answers and more streamlined services as a result.

The conventional business model of healthcare providers has been, for all intents and purposes, dismantled. Now, the focus is on making the patient experience as flexible as it can possibly be.

Some examples of new, patient-centric practices include:

• Switching from paper forms to their electronic counterparts that can be submitted via email or directly on a website;
• Virtual check-ins, which minimize the time a patient has to spend in the doctor's waiting room;
• Online collection of copays and other fees;
• Use of virtual assistants and chatbots to help patients with FAQs and information requests;
• Symptom-checker bots that can handle COVID-19 queries;
• Apps to help patients stay on top of their healthcare concerns;
• Increased electronic communication on the whole.

The underlying idea of this new approach is not just to ensure a better, smoother experience for patients. It also makes things more efficient on the healthcare provider's side, as it's safer for patients and staff alike.

Disruption in Healthcare

The rapid innovation and advancements in the healthcare industry also created a fertile ground for startups and unconventional clinics and healthcare facilities to disrupt healthcare as we know it.

The traditional model of healthcare, where major healthcare companies monopolized the sector and patients had little to no say in matters concerning their own health, is coming apart.

Similar to what disruption has done in other industries, it has also turned patients into consumers.

They no longer have to put up with limited options and minimal choices. They now have more power to pick from a wider range of healthcare options than was previously available. So, they can choose the one that works best for them.

A shift in the patients' mindset has also been one of the drivers behind this trend of disruption. More patients prioritize friendly, empathetic service now than ever before. They're also evaluating other aspects before choosing a healthcare provider, such as the ease of scheduling appointments, the treatment itself, and the payment policies.

How Can Healthcare Organizations Succeed?

In this new, permanently-changed environment, the only way healthcare organizations can succeed is by continuing to keep the focus on their patients, prioritizing their needs and convenience.

They also need to continue using technological advancements and innovations to their advantage, consistently developing and implementing solutions that improve the patient experience.

TelMDCare - Leading the Charge

A telehealth and telemedicine facility, TelMDCare offers affordable online healthcare. Our highly efficient, streamlined system allows patients to schedule doctor's appointments online and have an online medical consultation.

Whether you need a virtual doctor appointment for sinus infection and pink eye, a skin rash online treatment, or a virtual doctor for strep throat, you can benefit from our online doctor consultation and prescription services by getting in touch with us today.