HealthTrust University Conference, online classes, society and industry meetings, even patient visits—are you becoming acclimated to the virtual experience? Most of us have found ways to adapt. Although some aspects of medicine don’t translate perfectly in a virtual model, it’s proven to be an effective way to treat some patients during the pandemic.
As the article “How Virtual Waiting Rooms Are Keeping Telemedicine Running Smoothly” reveals, 46% of Americans have elected to use telemedicine in light of safety concerns. Through initiatives to improve telemedicine efficiencies, a new concept has emerged—virtual waiting rooms. Physician Advisors William Payne, M.D. (Franciscan Alliance), and Kevin Yoo, M.D. (California Cancer Associates for Research & Excellence), share how they use this technology to reduce wait times.
The benefits of vigilance
As part of its normal course of business, HealthTrust vets products that may be added to its contract portfolio. Clinical Advisory Boards support sourcing by applying evidence and knowledge to the process. As HealthTrust SMEs explain in the article “Rooting Out Faulty Hand Sanitizers & Masks,” this vetting process has proved itself invaluable during the pandemic in protecting members against subpar products and bait-and-switch tactics from unscrupulous suppliers intending to take advantage of providers impacted by the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage.
HealthTrust’s decisions also typically align with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance and product approvals. But the pandemic compelled the FDA to ramp up product reviews, and the agency has recognized many unproven medical products—some with fraudulent claims—over the last several months. Karen, Carey and Angie share that, while it was necessary for the FDA to do what it did to ensure hospitals didn’t have even more shortages of PPE, it shifted the burden of legitimacy to the purchaser.
HealthTrust University highlights
The annual HealthTrust University Conference was offered for the first time in a virtual environment in early August due to the pandemic. While it was certainly not the event any of us anticipated when we began planning for 2020, our presenters’ adaptability to the format enabled us to deliver a quality slate of education to the HealthTrust membership.
Special thanks to Physician Advisor Jeffrey Hodrick, M.D.; CMOs Christopher Ott, M.D. (HCA Healthcare Physician Services Group) and Christopher Rehm, M.D., (LifePoint Health); and VP of Quality David Stepansky, M.D. (CHS), for their participation in two of the HTU online sessions. Visit the public education site or the education section of the Member Portal for access to a number of the HTU sessions.
Join HealthTrust’s recently launched COVID community to access related content, interact with peers and learn best practices. Email elle.petty@healthtrustpg.com to join the discussion.
John Young, M.D., MBA
Chief Medical Officer, HealthTrust
Executive Publisher & Editor-at-large, The Source magazine
Share Email COVID-19, Q4 2020
