How COVID-19 has Impacted Medkinect and The Medical Industry as a Whole

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on people’s lives, the economy, and many different industries. The medical industry has seen a lot of changes in a short amount of time, many of which will stick with us long after COVID is over. Here are a few of the changes we are seeing, many of which will have positive effects for patients going forward.

Greater Use of Telemedicine

With everyone making a conscious effort to stay home, telemedicine has become the go-to option for many people. A quick check-in with your doctor, or getting a prescription to fight the flu can easily be done from the comfort of your home. More and more people are seeing the convenience this offers and are utilizing these services at much higher rates.

Changes in the Delivery of Drugs and Products

Instead of running out to the pharmacy, many people are opting for home delivery of their prescriptions and needed medical products. With almost instant delivery, getting your needed medicines by mail is proving to be an efficient way for people to get the products they need. This is especially ideal for those who are high-risk and don’t want to make the trip to the pharmacy.

More Home Care

COVID-19 has impacted senior living and senior care in a number of ways. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes have been hit especially hard during this pandemic. With so many high-risk people in such small quarters, it is no wonder COVID has spread through these places so quickly. Instead of moving family members into these sorts of places, many are opting for home care. The patient feels more comfortable and will not need to be as isolated from family and friends.

Made In America

As countries all over the world fight this pandemic, we have had to look within to get the supplies and medicines we need. As we see how COVID-19 has impacted us here in the US, more and more products are being made right here at home and we couldn’t be happier about this. Higher quality, standardization, and better business practices are all things we can get behind.

Ambulatory Services

COVID-19 has impacted elective surgeries and outpatient care. Instead of utilizing extended hospital stays, more and more people are utilizing outpatient services. Many hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID patients, so having elective surgeries and other procedures done at out-patient facilities is a win for everyone.

New Disinfection Standards

While hospitals and doctors’ offices have always been known for their cleanliness, this pandemic has taken things to a whole new level. Standards are much higher and these facilities are being cleaned and disinfected much more often than they were before. Not only does this help fight COVID, but you’re less likely to catch the common cold while sitting in the waiting room.

A Greater Concern of Physical and Mental Health

This pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, even those who haven’t been directly impacted by it. People are seeing how this disease has affected others and are taking it upon themselves to get into better shape. The mental effects have also been very profound. Isolation, stress, job loss, kids out of school… all of these things have altered people’s day to day lives. People are realizing the importance of staying connected, even if it only over a Zoom call for happy hour.

How COVID Has Changed Us Here at Medkinect

Working Remotely

COVID-19 has impacted us personally as well as from a business standpoint. We’re always very aware of our company culture. It’s a significant role in who we are and who we want to be moving forward. It’s been difficult to live our culture consistently due to the pandemic. Per Michigan’s Executive Order, we’re limited in how many staff members can be indoor in our office setting. Therefore, we have multiple teams set to come to the office at certain times during the day or week. We have kept everyone on staff and have actually added some people. Let me tell you, it’s challenging to train a role when there’s not consistent touch but we’ve been able to manage just fine. Working remotely has been great for everyone and certainly, we will do what needs to be done but again. Tough times don’t last but tough people do.

Process Changes

You don’t get many opportunities to pause in life, and we feel as if we have taken advantage of it. We have changed our internal software and cleaned up any items that needed to be addressed. We went over processes and protocols to make sure we’re being as efficient as we can. In one sense, all surgical related items completely stopped but in another sense, our molecular lab testing is as busy as it could possibly be. Balancing our time is very relative. We have since started our orthopedic comeback but in our downtime, we focused on all of the little things that will make a huge difference in the long term.

How We Are Helping To Fight COVID-19

One of the biggest ways we are helping to fight this is through education. There’s so much information dispersed via social media, we don’t know who to believe. There’s a presidential campaign that is polarizing America, and in some ways, taking away from the tasks at hand. None of which is helping the individual person that is COVID positive right now sitting in their home quarantined or in a hospital bed. There are multiple quick response COVID or antibody tests that are not accurate. Medkinect and ILDP are staying the course to provide accurate testing results within 24-48 hours. We’re simply playing our part to be part of the solution.

COVID-19 Has Impacted Us In Other Ways Too…

As the new school year starts in places around the country, we are seeing major changes in the ways our children are receiving their education. Many are returning to school virtually, which means they are still stuck at home, sitting in front of the computer for several hours a day. This has left many parents concerned about their children’s mental and physical health. Sports are a major outlet for some children, but most districts have put sporting activities off at least until spring. That said, as cases rise among young people, the most important thing is to keep our children and families safe. We are all in this together and we are figuring it out as we go. Nothing is perfect and things will require some adjustment. However, if we begin to work together to find solutions, we will be able to beat this and get back to normal – something we are all ready for.

Originally posted at www.medkinect.com