Changing patient priorities: Covid-19’s impact on chronic conditions and elective surgeries
Medshield aims to ensure it maintains the quality of care given to its patients
In SA, we are dealing with a unique case needing novel solutions (https://medshield.co.za/how-a-pandemic-can-present-the-opportunity-for-innovation-in-health-care/). The quadruple disease burden coupled with deep structural societal issues puts our nation in a most vulnerable position. Though Covid-19 is a state of national emergency, how do we balance the treatment of it against other diseases such as HIV/Aids and TB, cancer, and medical emergencies that arise from domestic violence and injuries? It’s no surprise that the issue of patient priorities becomes important.
As a medical scheme, we see how there is less attention to the latter, while the health sector focuses on the fight against Covid-19. Patient priorities are changing and medical claims for conditions that were previously considered essential have lessened dramatically...
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