Physician practices have had to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in many ways, from limiting the number of people in waiting areas to greatly expanding their use of telemedicine to care for patients at home.
As the situation with the pandemic continues to evolve, your practice will need to refine its own efforts to function in this "new normal." You may even want to consider making permanent changes to be better prepared for similar crises in the future. Here are some steps to consider, based on recent experience.
Evaluate your overhead
Although the typical number of patients varies from specialty to specialty, many medical practices saw business slow significantly during the initial weeks or months of the pandemic. This was not only because patients were urged (or forced) to postpone non-urgent care, but also out of fear of being exposed to the virus. In the meantime, physician practices — like so many businesses — found themselves trying to figure out how to pay the bills.
Some property owners and mortgage companies offered relief for limited periods of time. But one lesson to consider now is whether, the pandemic aside, your overhead is manageable. Are you operating out of a cost-effective space? If telemedicine is going to become a greater part of your practice, is your space still appropriate for your needs? Could you lower utility costs?
Stick with telemedicine
Although only time will tell, many believe the increased use of telemedicine during the pandemic will lead to increased use of the technology afterward. There is even the potential that Congress will feel pressure to address the reimbursement disparities in telemedicine.
If, like most practices, you have increased your use of telemedicine, expect this to continue — so gear up to get better at it. This may involve finding and implementing a more affordable and/or functional technology platform, as well as obtaining new certifications for telemedicine as required (some certification requirements were suspended during the height of the pandemic, but it seems unlikely this will continue indefinitely). In addition, you and your management team will want to stay informed about the reimbursement aspects of telemedicine (providing clinical care remotely) and telehealth (providing a wider range of remote health care services, including nonclinical care).
Re-evaluate procurement
During the first weeks of the crisis, many medical practices had staff members who were unwilling to interact directly with patients for fear of catching COVID-19. One major and well-publicized reason for this was the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Physician practices, along with hospitals, have learned tough lessons in the state of the global supply chain and how to obtain PPE. Be sure to document the steps you have taken to get the supplies you need and to continue improving your procurement processes.
Flexibility — and creativity
Getting through this pandemic will take incredible courage, flexibility and a certain amount of creativity to continue treating patients. It will also require expanding the role of health care providers to consider many non-clinical factors — such as anxiety, medical illiteracy, transportation, housing and food insecurity. As we carry on into the new normal, look for opportunities to improve every aspect of your practice.
Originally published 29 June, 2020
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
