When COVID-19 struck in 2020, the world as we knew it was thrown into complete chaos. Suddenly, many of us couldn’t leave our homes to complete simple tasks like grocery shopping or even taking a walk. Countless parents became tutors to their children, who were learning via Zoom calls. And when someone showed symptoms of the virus, they were encouraged to isolate themselves even further to avoid spreading the illness to others. 

While some were able to heal at home, many faced COVID-related complications, such as pneumonia, sepsis, and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which often required medical care. With patient beds dwindling and an unforeseen surge of patients being admitted to hospitals, healthcare management had to quickly adjust its protocols in favor of innovative and flexible solutions. 

Today, we’re exploring some of the lessons that healthcare management has learned in the wake of COVID-19 and how it’s continued to change to be more prepared for any medical challenges the future brings. 

Lessons Learned During the Pandemic 

Numerous factors ensure a healthcare facility runs smoothly. During the peak of COVID-19, many of those standard practices were abandoned as the needs of patients and medical staff evolved with the virus. Fortunately, those in healthcare management roles acted quickly, adjusting protocols and policies to ensure the safety and best health outcomes for everyone involved, including: 

Shifting the Delivery of Available Healthcare 

Before COVID, if you wanted to see a healthcare provider for an illness or health condition, your options were often limited to scheduling an appointment and seeing a doctor in person. However, with the six-feet rule in place, and with the rate of infection being so high, healthcare management quickly adopted another form of healthcare for patients: telehealth visits. 

With telehealth appointments, patients could receive care from medical professionals without ever having to leave their homes. This minimized the risk of transmission and also made healthcare more accessible to those in rural areas and individuals with mobility issues. 

Catering to Flexible Staffing Models 

In January 2021, there were over 126,000 COVID-19-related cases in hospitals across the United States: a staggering figure when compared to the 31,000 cases reported in January 2024. When caseloads become too high to easily manage, many hospitals resorted to flexible staffing models to handle the surges in patient volume. This included: 

  • Cross-training staff. 
  • Utilizing travel and temporary staff members. 
  • Reallocating staff from less affected regions and sending them where needed. 

Utilizing Data Analytics 

With the help of data analytics, healthcare systems more easily leveraged several types of data that helped management predict critical information, such as: 

  • Infection trends. 
  • Potential admission numbers. 
  • Fluctuations in resource needs. 

Access to real-time data helped healthcare management teams better prepare for logistical challenges, including allocating critical supplies such as ventilators, personal protective equipment, and ICU beds. 

Healthcare Management: Adaptations and Future Preparedness 

Living in a post-pandemic world, there are numerous adaptations that healthcare facilities worldwide have made in preparation for another potential pandemic, including: 

  • Incorporating more technology  
    From providing access to telehealth visits to finding innovative ways to include artificial intelligence and big data analytics, healthcare leaders are taking advantage of the benefits that technology can bring to healthcare. In particular, electronic health record (EHR) systems have been improved to simplify care coordination and share COVID-19-related data at the click of a button. 
  • Addressing healthcare inequalities  
    With a firm grasp of the disparities exacerbated by the pandemic, forward-thinking healthcare managers have created updated policy interventions and strategies aimed at improving access to healthcare services. Some of these changes include expanding community health programs and providing financial assistance for low-income patients. 
  • Strengthening healthcare infrastructure  
    Many health management teams are investing in the renovation of current facilities so they can treat patients more effectively. They’re updating ICU units, building new wings, and allocating funds to procure state-of-the-art medical equipment that they may not have had access to during the pandemic, such as diagnostic machines, ventilators, and advanced treatment technologies. 

Your Career in Healthcare Management Begins at UTPB 

The University of Texas Permian Basis offers two unique online programs designed to give you the skills needed to excel as a leader in the healthcare industry. Below, we discuss each healthcare management degree program to help you determine which best aligns with your current skillset and interests: 

BAAS in Healthcare Leadership 

Our online Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Healthcare Leadership is perfect if you already have some experience in healthcare and have an associate degree in applied science. This accelerated online bachelor’s program will provide strategies and skills for complex problem solving, project management and forecasting, and overcoming common constraints in the workplace. 

BBA in Healthcare Management 

The online BBA in Healthcare Management is ideal for those entirely new to the healthcare field. The program consists of 120 credits: a combination of general education courses and major-related courses that will provide skills in several key areas, based on your professional goals, such as: 

Both of our programs are designed with working professionals in mind. Flexible and cost-effective, these degrees can be completed at your own pace. Once you’ve selected the program that’s right for you, take the next step and apply today! 

Sources: 
https://ijsra.net/sites/default/files/IJSRA-2024-0291.pdf
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-hospitalizations