By Rachel Baird & Krista Melone, June 16, 2020, TODAY.
In the middle of a pandemic, a discussion about “everyday health” and the medical community tends to take a backseat to the more pressing questions surrounding the spread of a new virus. However, as many of us are realizing, the impact COVID-19 has had on medical practice nationwide is far-reaching. From elective surgeries that have been postponed, to blood drives being canceled and increased concern about routine visits; the coronavirus has altered many aspects of the health care industry.
It’s not just physical health practices that are being impacted. In mental health support groups there have been an uptick in people discouraged about the option to participate in teleconference appointments only. For many who seek counseling and therapy, the comfort found in the “safe space” of their doctor’s office has been compromised as they try to find a way to confide without family members overhearing their appointment in close quarters. Ogden confirms that there have been increased numbers of patients being seen for anxiety and depression, and with massive budget cuts being contemplated in the wake of pandemic fallout, the issues are only going to compound.
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