The pandemic, however, has led to an increased reliance on telehealth, with medical claims dating indicating an increase by as much as 4000%. Fifty percent of healthcare leaders who participated in the poll agree that telehealth for routine care of chronic conditions was most likely to remain throughout 2020 and beyond, as it allows patients to receive essential care in a safe capacity and reduces unnecessary physical contact that increases the risk of viral infection. It also provides greater provider certainty that most patients in line for treatment are in need of critical in-person attention.

Respondents warn, however, that patients with chronic conditions should maintain regular preventative care visits with their care teams.


“As the country begins to reopen in certain areas, we anticipate that hospitals may be able to recover from significant financial losses through elective surgeries,” said Bellemare. “The hope here is that some of the pent-up demand for these surgeries will provide a bit of a bounce back. However, a note of caution is prudent — given that many of these procedures are expensive and commercial insurance is typically the source of those payments. With the added complexity of high unemployment and therefore lower insurance enrollment, that bounce back will be undermined to a degree that has yet to be fully felt.”

Back to HCB News

Business Affairs Homepage