The field of medicine has undergone significant changes since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the biggest breakthrough right at our fingertips: telemedicine. While it may feel like a “normal” part of healthcare now, connected technology dominated how Americans saw doctors during the pandemic. “Before the pandemic, virtual care was available, but it was not widely used. Now telemedicine is mainstream,” says Dr. Michael Aziz, an Attending Physician at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital.
According to one study, telemedicine encounters increased 766% in the first three months of the COVID outbreak. And while use of the 2-D technology has tapered off, Dr. Aziz, believes still plays a vital role in medical care, “Especially for people in rural areas. Especially for young professionals. And it offers convenience. But we have so many barriers when it comes to telemedicine…. especially for senior citizens,’ he explains, “Also, the government has put some many roadblocks for patients to use that. One is the cost. There’s a cost associated with that. It’s not covered by many insurance.”
Experts say while telemedicine has been revolutionary, it’s best suited for certain ailments, particularly psychiatric services. Dr. Chris Ivany, Psychiatrist and COO of Family Care Center, emphasizes, “I think it’s clear to say that the pandemic certainly had a immediate and negative effect on many Americans’ mental health.”
A recent Gallup poll shows adults 18 to 49 reported a steep drop in their mental health since 2020, with many suffering from depression, anxiety, and isolation. This has led to an increase in Americans seeking help post-crisis. Dr. Ivany notes, “The stigma to seeking mental health care is definitely decreased over the course of the past five or so years…. but also, in part to just a general recognition that mental health care is part of health care overall.” Dr. Ivany points to two main reasons we’re seeing a growth in mental health care, “Part of what the pandemic has done is to raise the awareness of mental health issues, challenges across the American population in a way that really hadn’t been done really in the past…. And I think the second is the field now is much more flexible in terms of how care can be delivered to people.”
Another challenge changing the landscape of the industry, a significant reduction in staffing. Dr. Aziz says, “About 3000 healthcare professionals have died and about 100,000 have retired or changed career… Hospitals have a hard time not only hiring physicians and health care workers, but they have a hard time retaining them.”
While telemedicine has been a game changer, it’s not the only major innovation to emerge from the pandemic. The production and rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, along with advancements in rapid testing and antigen tests, are also transformative innovations born out of the pandemic.
Read the full article here
