Back in early April, Southwest Georgia was the unlikely location of the world’s fourth-hottest hotspot for COVID-19. Here at Phoebe Putney Health System, the sole provider in this semi-rural corner of the state, we saw our coronavirus patient admissions skyrocket from one to 150 in late March. You may have seen Scott Steiner, our CEO, on CNN, calling attention to Phoebe’s dire need for personal protective equipment after clinicians burned through a six-month supply within a week.

When COVID-19 was declared a national health emergency in March 2020, healthcare providers pivoted from typical day-to-day activities to focus on responding to the pandemic. We suddenly had to manage patient care remotely to prevent exposure to the virus, and patients needed to adjust to having less access to regular doctor visits. At the same time, many people were dealing with added stressors, such as lost jobs and insurance coverage, as well as the isolation and uncertainty of life during a pandemic. It shouldn’t be a surprise that as COVID-19 surges across the country, behavioral and mental health issues are surging as well.

Amid the move toward remote appointments and consultations due to COVID-19, the need for patients to have timely access to their health records remains a necessity.

2020 has taught us many things, to say the least. Looking ahead, we can leverage what we’ve learned to help propel us into a more patient-centric and sustainable healthcare system. This is especially true for how we choose to move forward with digital health strategies, driven by patient expectations and provider needs, not just in Canada but around the globe. 

COVID-19, the heroism of nurses, and virtual care—these are just a few of the topics that readers wanted to hear about on the MEDITECH Blog this year. As we persevere through the challenges of 2020 and highlight the importance of thought leadership in healthcare, let’s recap our five most popular blogs of the year and look forward to innovation, clinical transformation, and brighter days in 2021. 

In the ever-evolving world of health IT, one growing trend is the introduction of consumer tech, such as virtual assistants, into the medical space.

With the COVID-19 pandemic surging, healthcare organizations are tasked with the ongoing challenge of providing sufficient testing for their communities. Lawrence General Hospital (Lawrence, MA) is located in one of the hardest hit cities in Massachusetts with over 8,400 positive cases. As a leading healthcare provider in the region, their staff put together a plan to implement drive-thru testing that now tests over 1,400 patients per day and provides a model for other organizations to follow.

According to a recent Arch Collaborative (a KLAS initiative) study, twenty-five percent of nurses experience burnout, citing reasons such as documentation burden. 

One way of overcoming burnout and achieving full mobility is using convenient, web-based tools that give clinicians access to an enterprise-wide EHR, a unified user experience, and clinical decision support. This year, a Black Book survey of 3,000 hospital nurses ranked MEDITECH as the #1 EHR for nurse functionality and usability. 

Today is World Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) Day, recognizing the estimated 328 million people worldwide who are living with COPD. Organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), in collaboration with healthcare professionals and COPD patient groups worldwide, this day aims to raise awareness, share knowledge, and discuss ways to reduce the burden of COPD. COPD is a lifestyle condition that affects the lungs as a result of the long-term effects of smoking or extended exposure to air pollutants. By the time patients are diagnosed, they are typically experiencing shortness of breath during strenuous physical activity, limiting their ability to work and play. One in 20 patients admitted into the hospital for a severe COPD episode are readmitted within 30 days. 

On October 28, three federal agencies issued an alert that healthcare organizations face “an increased and imminent cybercrime threat,” including ransomware attacks, data theft, and medical service disruptions.