The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how healthcare operates and this has led to professionals rethinking different survival strategies. Profits and revenue streams are going down as patient influx has declines which has also caused many hospitals to lay off some of their staff members. Some practices also increased virtual care services through telehealth and telemedicine platforms to provide on-going care to their patients.
The Effect of COVID-19 on healthcare practices
Due to the pandemic patients are scared and anxious to visit their healthcare provider and hospitals to get treatment. This fear is due to increased exposure at clinics and hence medical practices are looking out for ways to keep the environment safe so their patients feel comfortable if they plan to visit their doctor.
Practices have sought out the following methods and changes in their clinic for the safety and well-being of both their patients and staff members,
- Restricted waiting seats for patients in the waiting room to prevent congestion and maintain social distancing protocols.
- Not keeping high-touch items such as newspapers and magazines to limit the chances of spreading the virus.
- Offering patients with virtual care services by deploying Telemedicine EMR Software solutions to minimize patient volumes at the doctor’s office.
- Keeping it mandatory for everyone to wear facial masks and an increase in sanitization stations in hospital hallways and everywhere possible.
- Checking patient temperatures at the entrance.
Implementing all these safety measures can impact practice productivity levels and the cashflow cycle.
Strategies to implement to financially survive the pandemic
The pandemic has left practices financially unstable and shaky. A few strategies can help clinics and medical set-ups to bounce back and thrive in this crisis.
- Outsourcing Administrative Tasks – Outsourcing administrative tasks such as Revenue Cycle Management (RCM), billing tasks, and other back-office operations can help to improve practice efficiency levels and reduce costs, especially when staff levels can fluctuate in case of a sudden lock-down.
- Using Telemedicine Services – The pandemic has boosted Telemedicine EMR Software adaptation rates to provide care services to patients and also attract new patients to connect to your practice. Patients also prefer going to healthcare providers that offer telemedicine services because of their safety, effectiveness, and convenience. The virtual care platform is suitable to provide timely treatment and diagnosis and helps to provide on-going care to patients with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and heart diseases. The government has also reduced telehealth regulations which makes it attractive for doctors to deploy the virtual care platform to reach out to patients who want care services from their homes. To make telemedicine software implementation a success providers must look for software vendors that offer an intuitive and user-friendly interface and also educate patients about the various benefits of telehealth. Practices are advised to manage virtual appointment flow through triaging.
- Increase in Patient Volume – Once the pandemic hit and was at its peak practices had to deal with the issue of patients postponing their appointments. A BPO service can be deployed to streamline daily operational tasks such as patient scheduling and other administrative tasks. Through automating scheduling the intake process can be streamlined and provide patients with options of both in-person and telehealth visits.
Meeting COVID-19 Trials Valiantly
Many practices in the United States were quick to respond through proactive strategies while some struggled to adapt to the new changes. Practices can survive this pandemic by switching quickly to options of automation and embracing virtual care services without any inhibition. If you are confident about the new policies implemented then it will be easier to take your patients on board.
