PHA Leaders’ Circle: Undercurrents in COVID-19’s Economic Impacts Favor Population Health
PHA December 30, 2020
Is the past (a new) prologue?
That’s the question population health experts should be asking as the profound economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic come into view.
Check out this well written piece in the Health Affairs Blog COVID-19 Shocks the US Health Sector. The 2020 statistics described by George Miller and colleagues are remarkable:
- This will be first year ever recorded with a decline in national health spending;
- Admissions for stroke and heart attack decreased independent of COVID-related impacts on bed availability;
- Losses from less elective and non-COVID related hospital care are accelerating hospital prices upward;
- Nursing homes are struggling with a downturn accompanied by a corresponding uptick in homecare arrangements;
- Among physician practices, pediatrics was hit the...