How COVID changed sick care and what's next.

It has been over three years since COVID arrived in the US. How did it change Sick care, USA for better or worse?

1. More reliance on technology and shiny new objects
2. Workforce shortages
3. Mindset changes
4. Supply chain interruptions and shortages
5. How and where work gets done
6. Exit ramps
7. Non-clinical career opportunities
8. Migration of care away from hospitals
9. Accelerated sick care entity consolidation and financialization
10. Persistent inequitable access and digital divide
11. Slow transformation of sick care to healthcare
12. Increased emphasis on profits over patients and creating shareholder value
13. Persistent academentia and obstacles to medical education and training reform
14. The death of medical expertise
15. The laying on of thumbs on your phone instead of laying on of hands by a doctor

16. The AI arms race

17. Political and social polarization impairing systemic rules changes

18. Rising costs due to the aging population, inflation, technology, and the costs of drugs

19. Termination of social support policies and funding

20. Repeal of regulatory compliance waivers eliminated

The Black Death changed Europe permanently. COVID did the same to the world. Welcome to Sick care 4.0 and retail medicine.

Stay tuned for the next chapters where you get to decide what's next.

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs on Substack and Editor of Digital Health Entrepreneurship