Healthcare Industry Actions to Protect Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic – May 8, 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. 

• BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina has committed nearly $600 million to help North Carolina individuals and communities through the COVID-19 pandemic, including eliminating cost-sharing for coronavirus screening and treatment, expanding grace periods on premiums for employers and individuals, and donating millions of dollars to non-profit organizations providing food security and meeting other community needs. 

• Cerner, a leader in the health data industry, has helped establish field hospitals and surge locations in Madrid, London, Seattle and New York City, some built within two to three days. The company has also equipped its healthcare clients to expand telemedicine capabilities, in some cases increasing the number of daily virtual appointments by one hundred-fold.  

• In an interview with Pharmacy Times, the chief pharmacist for McKesson Health Mart said that, with the directive from the Department of Health and Human Services that pharmacists can order and administer COVID-19 tests, over 3,000 Health Mart locations are interested in providing that service to their communities. Some have already partnered with local health departments to assist with testing.  

• Marshfield Clinic announced it is one of 40 health centers in the country participating in the Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcome (HERO) registry program. The research program is focused on achieving solutions to protect frontline workers, including healthcare professionals, first responders, and food service workers, from contracting COVID-19. 

• In a New York Times interview, New York-Presbyterian Hospital CEO Steven Corwin, M.D. described the innovative ways the hospital system responded to the unprecedented patient care needs driven by COVID-19, including rapidly manufacturing new intensive care units and finding new ways to create ventilators. 

• Telemedicine provider Teladoc Health is calling attention to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on mental health. A survey released by the company showed that 47 percent of Americans reported that their mental health has been affected by the pandemic, including 61 percent of laid-off or furloughed workers.