The Way of Access to Quality Healthcare during the Pandemic Healthy People 2020 (n.d.) states access to health services means "the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best health outcomes". To access healthcare, it requires three steps: gaining entry into the health care system through insurance coverage, accessing a location where needed health care services are provided, and finding a health care provider whom the patient trusts and can communicate with (Healthy People 2020, n.d.). Rising healthcare cost and insufficient healthcare insurance coverage in the U. S. has been one of the major factors of healthcare inaccessibility especially among financially vulnerable populations. An increasing number of Americans are delaying care due to the financial burden associated with healthcare costs. In addition, many rural populations and disabled individuals are having a difficulty commuting to the destination where primary healthcare and specialty providers are available. Besides financial and distance factors, some are facing problems with finding quality of care. Current COVID-19 pandemic has created a unique issue in healthcare accessibility, and it is affecting large number of populations who need medical care, as well as healthcare organizations and providers. Impact to Our Organization As an aging population is increasing and longer life expectancies are more common, the demand for long-term care services are rising. It is becoming more challenging to manage health of expanding elderly population with chronic illness within a long-term care setting. Our organization has approximately three hundred elderly veteran residents reside on campus. Approximately 120 of the residents in the facility is skilled nursing residents, and others are assisted living residents. Luckily, the residents of our facility normally have relatively easy access to their primary physicians who are in the clinic on campus, and when they need to see This study source was downloaded by 100000889694653 from CourseHero.com on 09-04-2024 13:45:25 GMT -05:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/67278540/WK-2-Assigndocx/ 3 the specialty healthcare providers such as a cardiologist, a dermatologist, or a psychiatrist for example, they usually ride our bus to the local VA or non-VA specialty clinics. Though seemingly our residents are not experiencing any difficulties accessing healthcare, they are currently facing unique issues accessing quality care due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic began, the number of medical appointments for our residents are significantly reduced and the number of telehealth appointments are increasing as many medical offices are not accepting face-to-face visits. Among the skilled nursing residents on campus, the average number of appointments the residents went to see the specialty providers face-to-face was about 113 each month between December 2019 and February 2020. The average number of residents seen via telehealth during this period was three a month. In March, face-to-face appointments are reduced to 86, telehealth appointments remained three, but there were total of 33 appointments are either postponed or cancelled. However, in April, only 32 residents went out to see their specialty providers face-to-face, 15 seen via telehealth, 20 appointments are postponed, and 8 appointments are cancelled. In last month, the number of face-to-face among the skilled nursing residents was 57. Although the number of face-to-face appointments was slightly increased in May, the number of telehealth appointments remains the same. In addition, the hospice visits are also reduced at this time, and the hospice nurse is currently visiting our residents on hospice once every 14 days routinely except residents who are experiencing uncontrolled symptoms can be visited more often. All other hospice team members’ visits are currently advised to make contacts with our residents by telephone calls. How Other Organizations Addressed the Issue Prior to COVID-19, video visits in UC San Diego Health System were used sparingly, but days before the state of California issued a stay-at-home ordinance, the organization put in
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