Practice And Policy Reset Post-COVID-19: Reversion, Transition, Or Transformation?

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Healthcare Administration
• Public Health

Background:

• The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly altered clinical care delivery in the United States.
• Temporary modifications to regulatory and payer policies were implemented to balance oversight costs and benefits during the crisis.
• There was increased recognition of the need to conserve healthcare professionals' resources for direct patient care, rather than administrative tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify policy and practice changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic that should be sustained post-crisis.
• To advocate for the continuation of these changes to achieve Quadruple Aim outcomes.
• To recommend applying similar crisis-driven logic to reduce administrative burden during non-crisis times.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of policy and practice shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Review of temporary regulatory and payer modifications.
• Identification of opportunities for sustained change to improve healthcare delivery.

Main Results:

• Temporary policy changes demonstrated the feasibility of reducing administrative burdens on healthcare professionals.
• These changes highlighted the potential for improved Quadruple Aim outcomes by prioritizing clinician time and reducing low-value tasks.
• The pandemic created an opportunity to reassess and reform healthcare policies for long-term benefits.

Conclusions:

• Policy and practice changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic should be maintained to support the Quadruple Aim.
• Sustaining these reforms can lead to better individual care, population health, clinician experience, and lower costs.
• Applying crisis-inspired adaptive strategies during non-crisis periods can further reduce administrative burdens and enhance patient care.