Becker's Healthcare April 12, 2021
The events of 2020, and the normalization of remote and COVID-safe care, have in some ways created innovations that sped up the adoption of telehealth and simplified care delivery.
In many cases, clinicians still saw patients in person, and, naturally, this involved challenges. Primary care has especially been affected, and issues stemming back to before the pandemic are being exacerbated.
Average wait times to see a primary care physician continue trending upward, as only healthy patients can be seen in the physical office, and those who are sick or have symptoms must go to urgent care or be seen at curbside. Separate from COVID-19 is patients’ growing expectations for on-demand care, reflecting their experiences of instant service and advice in...