The pandemic has been stressful for every industry but healthcare has been hard hit for a few reasons: providers still need to treat patients, but some of those patients may be scared to go to the doctor’s office or visit a hospital; medical staff, who want and need to be there for patients not only have the same worries but also the added stress of possibly losing their jobs. In the midst of their own health worries, providers need to balance their patients’ and employees’ needs with concerns about the viability of their practices too.
This article showed three ways healthcare is rebounding from COVID-19 and gives us reason to be optimistic.
- Telehealth: This is the about one of the only “positive” things to come out of the pandemic. Normally, telehealth was only utilized for rural areas but with the public health emergency (PHE) it has become the most common type of visit. Not only can the patient be treated for medical conditions while staying safe, but the clinician and staff can be protected and still provide care, albeit virtually. Hopefully, expanded telehealth services will continue after this crisis is over.
- Regaining public trust: It’s important to find ways to let patients know it is safe to come back to your office or visit the hospital, as most are now resuming elective surgeries. Communication is always challenging but, in this day and age, social media is a savior. Posting on these platforms is one way to let patients know what they can expect when visiting the office/hospital and what precautions are being taken to keep everyone as safe as possible. Some providers are even purchasing television ads to let everyone know about their COVID-19 safety measures.
- Better employee engagement: Here, too, communication is key. With the rise in unemployment, keeping an open and strong dialogue with employees is paramount. Not only does this show how you are keeping patients safe but the communication reinforces that we are in this together and that you have your employees’ safety in mind as well. Where possible, providers are allowing more flexibility to staff as we all deal with school closures, etc. Last but not least, asking for and listening to employee suggestions reassures them of your concern; even something as simple as checking in with your employees and expressing interest in how they are coping through all of this shows them they are not alone.
The most important take-away from this article is that “communication” is key with patients as well as staff to keep everyone on the same page.