Since the outbreak of COVID-19, routine care has come to a standstill. Models predicted a 60-80% decline in elective procedures in Q2 of 2020 for EU and US, and an additional 40-50% decline in Q3. When the recovery does begin, it could be accompanied by a resurgence of demand for both elective and delayed essential procedures that strains business models and financial resilience.1
The longer non-urgent care is delayed, the more urgent it eventually becomes. Much of the care that has been put on hold will have to be made up quickly as healthcare organizations restart and there will be additional surges in new COVID-19 cases in the coming months that could disrupt the plan.
At the same time, new patients continue to present with care concerns – a stream that will need to be merged with the backlog. The question of how you can manage more patients in a shorter period of time is more relevant than ever. Healthcare organizations must not only be prepared to catch up with elective cases to keep their populations healthy, but also to become resilient and adaptable to fluctuating demands. Solutions to this ‘new normal’ require new ways of working, more efficient organization of care, and infusion of innovation.