2019 was an amazing year. UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi scored a “perfect 10” on her floor routine (and went viral for it). Missy Elliot was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. And we’d be remiss not to mention young Greta Thunberg who was just hitting her stride in her fight to stand against climate change.
If someone had told you that an impending pandemic would sweep through the world and completely upend our lives just one year later, you would’ve probably laughed them off. But that’s exactly what happened with the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. The healthcare industry saw a sudden and unprecedented surge in the number of patients seeking urgent care, particularly those with underlying medical conditions.
This has created a set of challenges that occupational health professionals find themselves uniquely positioned to address. The following article looks at the challenges faced by urgent care centers in this era of COVID-19, and how occupational health professionals are responding to them.
Why Are More Patients Attracted to Urgent Care Centers vs. Emergency Rooms?
According to a survey conducted by the Urgent Care Association, more patients are choosing urgent care for their medical needs over traditional hospitals. This is primarily due to the fact that urgent care centers are more accessible and offer shorter wait times. Price also likely plays a big role in the decision-making process of many patients.
As Dr. Ben Aiken, a family medicine physician and VP of Health at Decent explains, “an ER visit often costs up to 10X the rate of an urgent care center or primary care provider (PCP) and often includes a long wait time.”
As such, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that urgent care centers have become increasingly popular over the traditional hospital setting in recent years due to their convenience and affordability.
For instance, according to American Family Care (AFC), a leading all American urgent care center franchise, urgent care visits generally cost between $100 and $200 on average, whereas visits to the ER can cost upwards of over $1,000 per visit, with an average price tag between $1,2000 and $1,300.
This trend has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic due to fear of contracting the virus in high-traffic areas such as hospitals. This has led to an increased demand for urgent care centers that provide quick, convenient, and affordable medical care.
Challenges Faced by Urgent Care Centers During COVID-19
Urgent care centers may be more popular than ever before, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t faced their fair share of challenges brought on by the pandemic.
One of the biggest challenges was dealing with staffing shortages due to workers falling ill or taking time off due to fear of the virus. This caused some centers to reduce their hours or limit the number of patients they could treat at one time.
Another challenge faced by urgent care centers during the pandemic was related to the cost and availability of personal protective equipment (PPE). Due to a shortage in PPE, many urgent care centers had difficulty sourcing enough PPE to ensure the safety of both their staff and patients. This led to an increase in costs for these facilities as they were forced to buy more expensive PPE from alternative sources.
Perhaps one of the most significant challenges faced by urgent care centers during the pandemic was related to large-scale testing. As governments around the world implemented various testing strategies in order to contain the spread of the virus, many people were forced to stand in long lines or wait days for results.
This has put extra strain on urgent care centers as they attempted to accommodate the influx of test-seekers while still providing quality medical care.
Benefits of Urgent Care Centers During COVID-19
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, urgent care centers were still able to provide a number of benefits to patients and their communities that have carried on into a (mostly) post-pandemic world.
One of these benefits has been increased access to medical care for those who may not have otherwise been able to access it. As we explored earlier in the article, urgent care centers have been able to provide a more convenient, cost-effective alternative for those who may not be able to afford the costs of going to see a doctor or hospital.
In addition, many urgent care centers have implemented telehealth services which allow patients to connect with doctors remotely. This has allowed for greater access to medical care for those who may not be able to leave the house due to health or other reasons.
Last but not least, urgent care centers were instrumental in helping communities respond to the pandemic by providing testing services and treatment for patients with COVID-19 symptoms. Many of these facilities were equipped with rapid testing machines that enabled them to provide quick results to help prevent the spread of the virus.
What’s Occupational Health Got to Do With It?
So, the question remains to be asked – what’s occ med got to do with it? It turns out that many occ med professionals have been tasked with helping businesses continue to operate safely in a post-pandemic world by ensuring that their employees are healthy and able to perform their job duties in a safe manner.
Occupational health professionals have had to help develop new protocols and procedures regarding workplace safety during the pandemic, such as the use of protective equipment and the implementation of social distancing measures. This has been a major challenge that requires professionals to stay up to date with the latest developments in health care and occupational safety.
Furthermore, occupational health professionals have had to develop new ways of tracking employee health data and providing support for those who may be at risk or are suffering from COVID-19. This requires them to have a working knowledge of both the technology used in tracking employee health and the laws and regulations pertaining to employee health and safety.
Finally, occupational health professionals have also had to help employers create a safe and healthy work environment for employees while still maintaining financial stability. This has been an ongoing challenge that will likely continue long after the pandemic has passed.
Supporting and Equipping Occupational Health Professionals for Success in a Post-Pandemic World
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of occupational health professionals in maintaining safe and stable workplaces. By developing new protocols, procedures, and technologies, they have played a vital role in keeping businesses afloat during these uncertain times.As we move towards a post-pandemic world, it is essential to continue supporting occ med professionals to create strong, healthy, and resilient workplaces. NAOHP offers partnership opportunities for technology providers looking to support the work of occupational health professionals. Our collaborations with industry leaders such as Nethealth and UL/Systoc for Occupational Medicine EHR aim to equip these professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge to ensure the well-being of employees worldwide. Click the link to learn more.
