As New Processes Take Hold, Some Healthcare Providers Are Losing Shifts

It seems paradoxical at first thought, but one of the unforeseen consequences of the COVID-19 crisis is that some healthcare providers—certainly high on the list of “essential workers”—may see their jobs adversely affected by the pandemic. As noted in a post on Inside Sources, emergency rooms are emptying out as hospitals reroute patients presenting with symptoms or even concerns related to the virus to other areas of the hospital. Many other patients are opting not to seek care at all if worries over the virus outweigh whatever discomfort they’re experiencing. Freestanding emergency rooms and offsite surgery centers are also feeling it. Current “hot spots” like New York City and northern New Jersey seem to be immune from this phenomenon—which may indicate that concerns over possible job losses will be short-lived, as many parts of the country haven’t seen surges in COVID-19 cases yet.