Spring 2022 | Volume 11 | Number 2 |
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Recovering and Thriving Post-Pandemic: Part 5 |
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With the reduction in COVID infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, hopefully we will be able to enjoy at least a lull and also make headway towards moving from a pandemic to an endemic state of affairs.
That means taking action to enable success in the midst of inflation, supply chain issues, staffing shortages across the healthcare ecosystem, a workplace marked by a mix of in-office, hybrid, and work from home employee populations, backlogs in preventive care services and elective procedures, a mental health crisis, unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle that has increased the rate of overweight and obesity, a growing population of patients suffering from long COVID, and a collective, bone-tired weariness.
We’ve got you covered! In addition to the usual eclectic mix of topics, the January issue offered ideas and examples of ways to move forward during these demanding times, like those covered in the multi-part article series “Recovering and Thriving Post-Pandemic.” And the first three sessions of the 10-year WHQ anniversary monthly webinar series (free to WHCMAA members!) have contributed to our readers’ ability to be prepared for everything coming their way:
- On Caregiving: What’s Hard, What’s Helping, and the Post-COVID Opportunities for Support
- Mental Health Innovation for Covid-Era Post-Traumatic Growth
- Should I Stay or Should I Let It Go? Accelerating (Provider) Partnerships in a Pandemic
Register now for the April 13 presentation on “The Science of Addressing Addictive Behaviors.”
“The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”
~ Kakuzo Okakaura
Managing Editor
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Have an article to contribute or words of wisdom for the Philosopher's Corner?
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See what our alumni have been up to.
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Access previous newsletter editions. |
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Though we can’t officially declare the pandemic over, we certainly seem to be turning a corner, in terms of numbers and in terms of mentality. It seems clear we cannot ever go back to the “normal” we had in 2019; instead, we will be carving out a new reality in the post-pandemic world. As leaders in healthcare, our alumni base will play a huge role in shaping that reality within the healthcare ecosystem. Read more.
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This eclectic standing column features insightful musings, words of wisdom, life lessons, and stepping stones to business success. This month's philosopher is Katherine Clark, WG'15, a clinical fellow physician of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology at the Yale School of Medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital. Read more.
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Affidavit: Healthcare and the Law - Telehealth: Healthcare's New Virtual Reality
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Telehealth startups have been the latest group to take advantage of the pandemic-driven regulatory flexibilities granted in the healthcare space. While legal and healthcare professionals have learned over the past two years how to benefit from COVID-19 waivers and regulation relaxations, entrepreneurs are now using those same benefits to create all-new healthcare tools, particularly in the mental health space. From audio-only treatment for patients with substance use disorders (“SUDs”) to full-service digital telehealth platforms, these tools bear potential to reshape virtual medicine — provided their developers enable them to last beyond the pandemic. Read more.
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Downloading Success: Get What You Deserve - Steps Toward Equitable Pay
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Women and people of color have made strides toward pay equity in leadership roles, but more progress is needed. While some employers believe pay imbalances will sort themselves out as more women and underrepresented groups ascend to top executive positions, the reality is there are inherent obstacles preventing this transformation from happening. One is that, despite changing laws and regulations, many compensation packages are still based on the chosen candidate's current salary and benefits.
It can be difficult for individual executives to lobby for fair compensation, yet it is important to do so. We share recommendations for ensuring your pay is equitable and balanced with others who have your skills and abilities. Read more.
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CyberVitals: Healthcare Cyber Events Are Common, But It Doesn't Have To Be This Way
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Healthcare is a cyber criminal’s dream. It presents the intersection of a data treasure trove, weak security posture, limited resources, complicated supply chain, and patient care delivery. When faced with having to pick a priority to optimize for, healthcare will, of course, always pick delivering healthcare. Given technical, regulatory, and legal limitations, HDOs effectively inherit MDM security decisions for devices procured, creating a dependence on MDMs publishing/facilitating updates, while the HDO is expected to continue to deliver safe and effective care. And this problem persists beyond the recommended shelf-life of a device. Read more.
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"Anniversary Spotlight":
Moving Upstream Together - How Geisinger Built a Perpetual Innovation Machine to Improve Outcomes
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Nearly 20 years ago, our leadership questioned the rationality of a reimbursement system that solely rewards quantity over quality in care delivery. Revenue derived from illness and its complications rather than preventing illness in the first place simply made no sense.
We decided to do something about it. Read more.
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Our country has a workforce problem that is creating unimaginable pressure for everyone. As in – there is LITERALLY no one left behind – only this time it’s not in a good way.
You know it, are living it, or will live it. Under “normal” circumstances, being a “double duty” caregiver – caring for people at work and at home - can be intense. You don’t just have to take our word for it – ARCHANGELS collaborated with members of the CDC to publish a study last summer that found…. 70% of all caregivers reported adverse mental health symptoms (such as depression and anxiety) for ‘sandwich generation’ caregivers (someone caring for a child AND an adult) – this percentage soared to 85%. And to take it one step further, nearly 52% of this group reported recent serious suicidal thoughts. Read more.
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The Reciprocity of Gratitude |
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Current research has established that the cultivation and sustainability of gratitude practices have a multiplier effect on building quality relationships and promoting more pro-social behaviors. Often called the “social glue.” Foundational to much of the research is the finding that gratitude triggers several forms of reciprocal gratitude. The Law of Reciprocity implies being on the receiving end of gratitude creates a psychological need to reciprocate. And this reciprocity has benefits for individuals, organizations, and patients. Read more.
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Recovering and Thriving Post-Pandemic: Part 4 - Health Equity
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As the pandemic grinds on, healthcare system realities still disproportionately challenge marginalized racial/ethnic communities. Disparities in access to healthcare, as well as health outcomes, have long been known to exist in these populations. Programs and systems in place for healthcare payment and delivery have simply not been reformed sufficiently to sustainably address very longstanding disparities which have only worsened during the era of COVID-19. The tactics we outline will be relevant even if the pandemic continues to strain resources and further blur the finish line. Read more.
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The Workforce Crisis is an Unignorable Moment for Healthcare
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Unignorable moments happen in every organization and in every industry. They can occur despite years-long track records of success — in fact, organizations that have stood as pinnacles of their industries may be more susceptible. While they look different in each instance, unignorable moments generally share four key characteristics: they are public in nature, they are irreversible, they are systemic, and they challenge the identity of an organization and its people. Read more.
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Wharton Around the Globe: WGHV Project Spotlight - Accelerating Digital Pharmacy in East Africa with Goodlife Pharmacy
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This past fall semester, a Wharton Global Health Volunteers (WGHV) team partnered with Goodlife Pharmacy to refine its digital strategy.
In East Africa and Kenya specifically, millions of patients rely on informal pharmacies for their drugs, of which up to 20-25% were counterfeit.1 Goodlife Pharmacy was launched in 2014 with the aim of improving access to safe, quality health-care and pharmaceutical provision. Since then, the company has quickly expanded to become one of the leading retail pharmacies in East Africa. The company recently launched an e-commerce footprint and has been making plans to expand its digital presence rapidly. Read more.
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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within are those of the authors and editors of the articles and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of the Wharton School and/or the University of Pennsylvania, and/or their respective organizations. Publication in this e-magazine should not be considered an endorsement. The Wharton Healthcare Quarterly and WHCMAA make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information in this e-magazine and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.
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