The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way people live, work, socialize, and go about their daily tasks. However, before it changed society, the pandemic changed and shook up the healthcare industry first.
The rapid increase of infected cases during the first half of the year stretched the industry’s manpower and resources too thin. As a result, it brought to light the disparity between the supply and demand of health professionals. It also revealed the pressing need to reevaluate the industry as a whole to adequately service all populations.
As the world continues to live through this prolonged downtime, the healthcare industry must grab the opportunity to conduct a self-reflection.
It must identify the new skills professionals need to offer quality services in a post-COVID-19 world. Furthermore, it must pay attention and respond to the trends that emerged during the first few months of the pandemic, like the following:
The Emergence of Telehealth Consultations
The government implemented lockdown measures, among other methods, to help prevent the further spread of the virus. With this, on-site operations have either been reduced or closed, and people were encouraged to stay home as much as possible.
In the healthcare industry, this led to a significant change in the way patients and their healthcare providers interacted.
The pandemic gave birth to the rise in the demand for telehealth solutions. However, this mode of consultation is expected to continue to perform well, even after the pandemic has passed.
Healthcare professionals must pay attention to this trend and start upskilling themselves regarding virtual, on-demand care. This will empower them to continue serving patients in a meaningful way, albeit remotely.
Increased Attention to Employee Health
These sensitive times have prompted employers to be more proactive when it comes to their employees’ health at work. Especially for workers who they require to work on-site, they need to explore various benefits to ensure the people’s well-being, such as having nurses and physicians staffed on the premises.
For businesses and companies, hiring an in-house health professional is a step they must take to make their employees feel more confident about returning to work. This will further drive the need for healthcare experts and advice.
The Focus on Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic affected not only the people’s physical health. It has also spread considerable fear, anxiety, isolation, and even loss among many.
Considering all of these, there will be an increased focus on mental health for the general public, even after the health crisis is over. Discussions on mental health will take center stage to help reduce any lingering stigmas brought about by the disease.
It’s also important to note that healthcare professionals and front-line workers have also been experiencing unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety. In response to this, healthcare systems started building support and mental wellbeing networks.
These measures must be continuously upheld even after the pandemic to support and strengthen the dwindling supply of healthcare workers.
Conclusion
Even after months of dealing with the virus and following stay-at-home measures, there is still a lot of work to do when it comes to managing the spread of the virus. While a vaccine or treatment is still out of reach, the pandemic will continue to disrupt routines and change the way we live.
Despite this, the healthcare industry must continuously strive to adapt to these changing times. Doing so will enable them to become a resilient force in the face of the current health crisis—and even in those to come.
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