Managing post-COVID elective surgery demand
Randy K. Hawkins
·As states and physicians slowly resume scheduling of elective surgeries, Randy Hawkins, Chief Medical Officer at ConsumerMedical, shares some important steps employers can take to support anxious employees.
As if employers didn’t have enough on their plates, now a new concern is emerging. Most U.S. hospitals and outpatient surgery-centers have stopped performing elective surgeries like hip, knee, back and spine due to the current COVID-19 crisis.
As a result, many healthcare providers and insurers are predicting a surge in elective surgeries once the crisis abates. The questions facing employers are how to manage, as well as pay for, the pent-up demand. Of equal importance is the need to help employees impacted by surgery delays who may be in pain, disabled or suffering from anxiety and depression as they wait and worry about what’s next.
The solution for better post-COVID elective surgery management is multi-faceted. Read the full article (PDF)
