One of the most noticeable changes many clinics have implemented thus far has been to switch from in-person visits to virtual appointments. While this may seem like an easy transition to make on the surface, it has definitely resulted in it’s fair share of challenges. Many patient visits were forced into going virtual to minimize safety concerns at the onset of the pandemic, but many patients have chosen to continue with virtual appointments for fear of coming to the doctor’s office in person. This has been a big hurdle not only for some patients, but also for some physicians who are not so tech-savvy. While this transition may have been a learning curve for the doctors, it has also subsequently created more work for healthcare administrators, as they, in turn, were required to follow up with their doctors regularly to ensure virtual meetings were carried out successfully. Occasionally, this added step has resulted in missed appointments, miscommunicated information, and the end result of sadly, patients falling through the cracks. Another downside in moving to virtual appointments has been the lack of opportunity for patients to ask their doctor a follow up questions in the event they forget to bring something up during their virtual appointment. During an in-person appointment, if a patient remembers a question after they’ve already left the room, they can ask the admin staff to re-engage the physician. In a virtual setting, if the patient were to remember a question after their appointment, it becomes significantly more difficult for them to get an answer quickly, as they would often be required to book another appointment in order to re-engage with their physician.
Another noticeable outcome as a result of the pandemic has been the length of wait lists across the board. Waitlist periods are tripling if not quadrupling in some areas of medicine. This is because many appointments and surgeries were either canceled or postponed when the coronavirus was at its worst. Now, doctors and their admin staff are left playing catch-up for 18 months worth of missed appointments. This means that any new patients who need to get in with the specialty physicians need to wait several additional months to see their specialist. This change has had many negative consequences. Patients who are waiting longer periods of time to see their specialist may have their problems develop further as they aren’t being dealt with as quickly. Administrative staff and even the physicians themselves are having to deal with the anger and frustration that many patients feel about such an extended wait. This has led to a significant rise in burn out for healthcare professionals overall, as longer hours and more frustrated, disgruntled patients take their toll.
One of the most concerning ways that the Healthcare Industry has been affected by the pandemic is staff fatigue. Physicians, nurses, and administrative staff are working significantly longer hours than before the pandemic (sometimes without extra pay due to budget restraints), while dealing with significantly more stressors. They are missing time away from their family and friends, and therefore missing the opportunity to unwind from such a stressful job. Healthcare staff put in the extra effort to make sure that things aren’t missed so patients don’t get left behind. However, this inevitable fatigue can and will greatly affect patients if something doesn’t change soon.
It will probably take years for the Healthcare Industry to go back to normal, no matter how soon the country reopens. The incredible impact the global pandemic has had on the Healthcare Industry as a whole is certain to remain for years to come. Regardless of how and when the country reopens, it is likely that Healthcare workers will continue to deal with virtual appointments, lengthy waitlists and patient frustrations, as well as additional stress and exhaustion from an already demanding job. Many healthcare workers get into the industry because they love helping people and are willing to push through all these hardships to make a difference. It is this mentality coupled with the incredible sacrifices of those who do work within the Healthcare sector every day, that have resulted in many referring to them as our “Healthcare Heroes” today. And so, with the above in mind, we would like to gently remind you that everyone around the world, regardless of age, ethnicity, status or orientation have experienced some level of difficulty throughout this challenging moment in history. But perhaps none more than the Healthcare Heroes we salute today and so, from the bottom of our hearts from all of us here at Cormack Recruitment, we thank you.
