decisionhealth Newsletters, Part B News - 2021 Issue 4 (April)
The future of medical practice is touchless, socially distant: Experts
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Article Overview
This article reviews how the COVID-19 pandemic altered outpatient medical practice and what clinicians and practice leaders expect to remain in place after the acute phase. It covers telehealth’s role in restoring patient volume, ongoing infection-control measures, changes in office flow and patient access, supply inventory adjustments, and long-term expectations for practice and facility design. It is relevant to physicians, practice managers, and health care administrators watching post-pandemic operational trends.
Why This Topic Matters
The piece helps readers understand which pandemic-driven operational changes may become lasting parts of ambulatory care. That matters for planning staffing, scheduling, patient experience, infection control, and future office design.
Article Sections
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COVID-19
Introduces the pandemic context and summarizes its impact on medical office activity and patient volume. Includes general observations from clinicians and practice leaders about recovery trends.
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Virtual visits help
Discusses the role of telehealth in outpatient care and the types of visits it is supporting. Also touches on patient preferences and clinician-patient relationships.
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Inventory: A little cushion
Covers supply availability after early-pandemic shortages and how practices are approaching inventory planning. Notes broader trends in maintaining stronger supply buffers.
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Touch me not
Describes contact-reduction steps in patient check-in, screening, and office arrival processes. Focuses on operational adjustments that reduce in-person touchpoints.
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Mask up now and in the future
Explores expectations for masking, distancing, and related precautions in medical offices over time. Includes differing views on how long these measures may persist.
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Giving them their space
Looks at how facility layout and waiting-room design may evolve to support distancing. Mentions possible changes in room arrangement and patient separation concepts.
What You Will Learn
- How the COVID-19 pandemic affected outpatient medical practice operations
- What kinds of visits telehealth is supporting in ambulatory care
- How practices are adapting office check-in and patient-flow processes
- Why supply inventory planning changed after early pandemic shortages
- What long-term infection-control and distancing trends may remain in doctor’s offices
- How office and waiting-room design may evolve in response to social distancing
Who Should Read This
- Physicians
- Practice managers
- Medical office administrators
- Health care executives
- Ambulatory care leaders
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