The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant clinical and economic consequences for medical practices of all specialties across the nation. Although the clinical implications are of the utmost importance, the economic consequences have also been serious and resulted in substantial damage to the US healthcare system, including pain practices. Outpatient pain practices have had to significantly change their clinical care pathways, including the incorporation of telemedicine. Elective medical and interventional care has been postponed. For the most part, ambulatory surgical centers have had to cease operations. As patient volumes have decreased for non-emergent elective care, the financial indicators have deteriorated. This review article will provide insight into solutions to mitigate the clinical and economic challenges induced by COVID-19. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic will have short-term and long-term implications for all medical practices and facilities. In order to survive, medical practices will need dynamic, operational, and creative strategic plans to mitigate the disruption in medical care and pathways for successful reintegration of clinical and surgical practice.
BACKGROUND: It is nearly impossible to overestimate the burden of chronic pain, which is associated with enormous personal and socioeconomic costs. Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in the world, is associated with multiple psychiatric co-morbidities, and has been causally linked for the opioid crisis. Access to pain treatment has been called a fundamental human right by numerous organizations. The current COVID-19 pandemic has strained medical resources, creating a dilemma for phy...
Last. Samer Narouze(NEOMED: Northeast Ohio Medical University)H-Index: 36
view all 10 authors...
Chronic pain causes significant suffering, limitation of daily activities and reduced quality of life. Infection from COVID-19 is responsible for an ongoing pandemic that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, leading to systemic complications and death. Led by the World Health Organization, healthcare systems across the world are engaged in limiting the spread of infection. As a result all elective surgeries, procedures, and patient visits, including pain management services, have been postp...
The COVID-19 pandemic will have a profound impact on Radiology practices across the country. Policy measures adopted to slow the transmission of disease are decreasing the demand for imaging independent of COVID-19. Hospital preparations to expand crisis capacity are further diminishing the amount of appropriate medical imaging that can be safely performed. While economic recessions generally tend to result in decreased health care expenditures, radiology groups have never experienced an economi...
#1Haiou Yang(UCI: University of California, Irvine)H-Index: 10
#2Scott Haldeman(UCI: University of California, Irvine)H-Index: 60
STUDY DESIGN: Epidemiological study based on cross-sectional data of a representative sample. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether financial worries are associated with chronic spinal pain in the US adult population. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: This study used data from the US 2015 National Health Interview Survey. The sample size was 33,672 and the study population is defined as aged 18 to 85 years. METHODS: To account for the complex sampling design, the Taylor linearized variance estimation method...
#2Emma Thomas(UQ: University of Queensland)H-Index: 27
Last. Liam J Caffery(UQ: University of Queensland)H-Index: 20
view all 7 authors...
The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is again reminding us of the importance of using telehealth to deliver care, especially as means of reducing the risk of cross-contamination caused by cl...
An opportunity in a crisis? The rapid spread of covid-19, and the fact that healthcare facilities could be sources of contagion, has focused attention on new models of care that avoid face-to-face contact between clinician and patient. There has been particular interest in video consultations, which are already being rolled out in many countries as part of national digital health strategies.123 How appropriate are video consultations for dealing with the coronavirus crisis—and what are the chall...
Abstract Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-COV2 and represents the causative agent of a potentially fatal disease that is of great global public health concern. Based on the large number of infected people that were exposed to the wet animal market in Wuhan City, China, it is suggested that this is likely the zoonotic origin of COVID-19. Person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 infection led to the isolation of patients that were subsequently administered a variety of treatments....
Summary An outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that began in Wuhan, China, has spread rapidly, with cases now confirmed in multiple countries. We report the first case of 2019-nCoV infection ...
Last. Rahel G Ghebre(UMN: University of Minnesota)H-Index: 21
view all 6 authors...
Abstract null null Early-career female faculty, both physician scientists and basic researchers, have disproportionately experienced negative professional, financial, and personal consequences associated with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This career phase represents a critical time for establishing a network of mentors and collaborators, demonstrating professional independence, and balancing new teaching, research, and service duties while simultaneously navigating per...
Abstract null null Introduction null This study examines the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on outpatient care in the German federal state of Brandenburg during the first ‘lockdown’ between 22 March and 4 May 2020, focusing on the burden for physicians and psychotherapists in outpatient practices and on alternative ways to provide care, in particular telehealth. null null null Methods null We conducted an online cross-sectional survey among outpatient health care professionals. The respon...
Background null The COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed the work of general practitioners (GPs). At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, German outpatient practices had to adapt quickly. Pandemic preparedness (PP) of GPs may play a vital role in their management of a pandemic. null Objectives null The study aimed to examine the association in the stock of seven personal protective equipment (PPE) items and knowledge of pandemic plans on perceived PP among GPs. null Methods null Three mul...
#1Alejandro Chara(JHUSOM: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)H-Index: 1
#2Erica Hodgman(JHUSOM: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)
Last. Alejandro V. Garcia(JHUSOM: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)H-Index: 5
view all 6 authors...
The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased isolation and potentially decreased access to healthcare. We therefore evaluated the effect of COVID-19 on rates of compliance with recommended post-injury follow-up. We hypothesized that this isolation may lead to detrimental effects on adherence to proper follow-up for children with burn injuries. We queried the registry at an ABA-verified Level 1 pediatric burn center for patients aged 0-18 years who were treated and released from March...
Last. Heather Zierhut(UMN: University of Minnesota)H-Index: 16
view all 3 authors...
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives. The full impact of the pandemic is still unfolding and will take years to fully understand. This longitudinal study followed a sample of 189 genetic counselors from June to November of 2020, starting with an online retrospective baseline survey of pre-COVID-19 functioning and continuing with a monthly online survey (average retention = 89.2%) to assess changes in self-reported stress, employment status, billing practices, self-efficacy...
OBJECTIVE: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had an immense impact on healthcare, but little has been published on its impact on sports medicine physicians. This study aimed to assess the perceived impacts of the pandemic on practice changes, financial implications, and mental health of the physician members of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM). METHODS: Online surveys were sent to physician members of the AMSSM, with questions asking about demographic information and personal a...
#1Martha O Kenney(UNC: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
#2Benjamin J. Becerra(CSUSB: California State University, San Bernardino)H-Index: 9
Last. Wally R. Smith(VCU: Virginia Commonwealth University)H-Index: 41
view all 4 authors...
Ambulatory specialty care operations have been challenged by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We surveyed sickle cell disease (SCD) specialists to assess the effect of pandemic-associated factors on SCD center ambulatory equipment, operations, personnel, and finances. Thirty-two participants from 27 SCD centers completed our survey. The results showed that telemedicine was frequently adopted, and centers were minimally affected by limited staffing. However, some centers incurred...
Last. David A. Bluemke(UW: University of Wisconsin-Madison)H-Index: 138
view all 35 authors...
Abstract null null Objectives null This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. null null null Background null The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardio...
ABSTRACT Background The COVID-19 pandemic has changed healthcare delivery across the United States However, few analyses are specifically dedicated to quantifying the financial impact of the pandemic on practicing neurosurgeons The authors present a survey analysis to address this need Methods The authors distributed a 19-question survey to practicing neurosurgeons in the United States and its territories The questions evaluated respondents’ assessments of changes in patient and procedural volum...
