As we are facing another few months of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, let us reflect on what changes need to be made now, and what would better serve the U.S. healthcare system as things regress back to the new normal, and, heaven forbid, if there are any more pandemics in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on weaknesses of national health systems, and has also highlighted the critical role that primary care can play in a health care emergency. Primary health care has been a weakest link in pandemic responses, although the primary health care sector is critical to the flattening of curves with measures like surveillance, testing, and contact tracing, as well as to keeping hospitals from being overwhelmed by the number of seriously ill patients.
Community-based health workers played a role in the COVIDa19 pandemic in providing patients access to necessary treatment. Community-based health workers integrated into the primary health care system may also have been useful in the health emergencies. The American Medical Association offers strategies and resources to address mental well-being in conjunction with caregiving for patients during the global COVID-19 outbreak, or any other crisis. The American Medical Association offers two surveys at no cost that can help healthcare organizations track the effects of COVID-19 on their workforces in the middle of this pandemic.
Allway Health Partners is eliminating cost-sharing (copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance) for tests and treatment at in-
network facilities; providing access to out-of-network providers for initial COVID-19 tests or treatments when an in-network provider is unavailable; and eliminating all cost-sharing for telehealth services, including virtual visits with primary care providers and specialists, as well as via Partners HealthCare On Demand, enabling members to access care related to COVID-19 without traveling to medical offices. AllWays Health Partners is removing cost-sharing (copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance) for testing and copayments for treatment at in-network facilities ; ensuring access to out-of-network providers for the initial COVID-19 test or treatment when no in-network providers are available ; and removing all cost-sharing for telemedicine services, including virtual visits with primary care providers and specialists, and through Partners HealthCare On Demand, to enable members to seek COVID-19-related care without the need to go to medical offices. Oregon Health and Science highlights how it has adjusted to dramatic increases in primary care calls amid COVID-19. International training provides opportunities for counties to better leverage primary and community care potential.
These innovations could include the incorporation of biometric data, allowing for bundled visits between specialists and
primary care physicians for improved coordination, as well as offering live consultations for second opinions, as well as a
common electronic medical record link. We believe that tremendous growth in demand will drive innovations that will make telehealth helpful in treating a much wider variety of conditions.
Strong primary care, organized into multidisciplinary teams and with innovative roles for healthcare professionals,
integrated with community-based healthcare services, equipped with digital technologies, and working with carefully designed incentives, is helping drive successful responses in health systems. Well-designed primary care offers integrated,
responsive, ongoing, community-oriented care delivered by competent healthcare workers.
PHC is the most inclusive, equitable, affordable, and efficient way to improve the health of individuals, both mentally and
physically, as well as their social wellbeing. PHC provides a programmatic driver of UHC, the Health-related Sustainable
Development Goals, and Health Security. PHC provides holistic health care to meet the needs of a whole person over a life course, rather than only to address a specific set of diseases.