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The recession's impact on health care
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It seems as though all I hear about on the news these days is the economic recession (with good reason, of course; it's big news). But in the health care industry we are relatively less affected by recessions because we all need health care, right? And, of course, relative to other fields like manufacturing we are still standing pretty strong and tall. But in my clinical practice, over the past year, I have noticed fewer new patients and a lower volume overall. I know hospital volumes are down in my region as well. I guess that the reason is that fewer patients are choosing to drive from a distance to see us or are just not getting chemotherapy for their cancer at all (geez, I hope not. You don't have to come to an academic center for your cancer care, but please get some care somewhere.) I surmise that the decrease in hospital volume was mostly fewer elective procedures and stays (plastic surgery, cataracts surgeries, even joint replacements for some), but then I heard that even hospice referrals were down across our state — could it possibly be that patients are dying at home without any support? Just writing that sends chills down my spine.