Healthcare Industry Actions to Protect Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic – June 19, 2020

The Healthcare Leadership Council is comprised of leading companies from every sector of American healthcare.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be sharing examples of actions these companies are taking to protect and assist the public and combat the virus’s spread.  If you would like assistance in reaching a representative for any of these companies, please contact Kelly Fernandez at kfernandez@hlc.org.

• Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, AdventHealth has carried out a program that involves the use of 1,000 Chromebook computers and tablets in its various facilities to enable patients in strict quarantine to communicate with their loved ones. The initiative has been a collaborative effort involving the health system’s chaplains, nurses, and information technology professionals.

• BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s chief medical officer Dr. Andrea Willis testified before a U.S. Senate committee that the insurer’s decision to expand coverage of telemedicine services during the pandemic and then making that coverage permanent may reduce healthcare costs in the long term by eliminating some inappropriate emergency room and urgent care use. She said people are also getting care who might have foregone it without telehealth access.

• As states begin the process of reopening, the Cleveland Clinic has produced a comprehensive assessment of the various levels of coronavirus risk involved in specific activities. These range from going to see a doctor or having health procedures done (low risk) to flying on an airplane (high risk).

• HMS, a provider of payment accuracy and population health management solutions, has reached over seven million Americans with its rapid messaging program that enables healthcare organization to communicate vital messages regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other subjects, the HMS tool is being used to communicate alerts about access to care, availability of telehealth services, and the potential coronavirus impact on vulnerable populations.

• Premier has provided the Department of Health and Human Services with a list of 24 regulatory waivers implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic that would improve patient care if made permanent. These involve, among other areas, expansion of telehealth services, improved use of screening technologies to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, and changes to healthcare workforce restrictions.

• SCAN HealthPlan has provided an emergency COVID-19 financial grant to The Salvation Army in Long Beach, CA for distribution of nutritious food boxes to seniors in the area. The funds will help ensure that older citizens have access to healthy meals while they are practicing stay-at-home precautions during the pandemic.