How COVID-19 Has Changed the Field of Healthcare and What It Means to You

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There are a lot of lessons to be learned from what went wrong and what went right in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19 has affected every industry in the entire world. As a global pandemic, the effects of the virus have been far-reaching. Perhaps no industry has been impacted as much as the healthcare industry.

Let’s take a look at how the healthcare industry has been affected by COVID-19, and what changes the industry will make for the future.

COVID-19 Has Changed the Career Outlook for Healthcare Practitioners

While a career in any medical profession has always been stable, lucrative, and in very high demand, the coronavirus has increased the demand for skilled healthcare workers, and made it clear that healthcare workers are truly essential workers who are on the front line in hospitals. If you are on the fence about starting a career in medicine – whether as a doctor, nurse, or something else, jump in and go for it. The need for healthcare workers will always be there, and the coronavirus has proven that the need will only increase, especially in times of healthcare crisis and healthcare emergencies. Even if you are not directly on the front lines in healthcare, your skills are still in demand, as the coronavirus has created a shortage of skilled healthcare workers to replace those who are working directly with patients, if they become infected with the coronavirus.

COVID-19 Has Placed the Focus on ICU Bed Utilization

Hospital crisis teams were developed in order to get the most out of ICU beds. With COVID-19, traditional emergency rooms are being used and reorganized in non-traditional ways. Outpatient surgery centers have now become emergency rooms, and other areas of hospitals have been restructured in order to deal with the challenges of treating patients with COVID-19. If you are new to the field of healthcare, or you are considering a career in healthcare, you can read new case studies pertaining to how COVID-19 has reshaped the healthcare landscape. These new case studies will be used as an educational tool for decades to come. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from what went wrong when treating patients diagnosed with the coronavirus, and what went right in terms of how ICU beds, ICU ventilators, and other supplies were used in the ICU in the early months of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Has Led to a Reevaluation of Medical Treatment Strategies

Medical treatment strategies was an area that was in flux for a while during the early days of the virus. Since COVID-19 was a new virus, healthcare practitioners had to learn the best way to treat patients. There was a lot of trial and error as healthcare practitioners adapted to the challenges of treating patients diagnosed with coronavirus. There is no doubt that the treatment strategies for COVID-19 will be put into medical textbooks and studied for decades to come, leading to better preparedness in the unfortunate event that another pandemic occurs which may be similar to COVID-19.

COVID-19 Has Led to an Emphasis on Preventative Measures

The vaccine to prevent COVID-19 has not yet been developed. Drug companies are furiously working to create this vaccine, which could go a long way to returning the world to a “new normal.” More than ever before, the pharmaceutical industry is taking off. Money is being poured into these companies for work towards the vaccine. 

For more information, take a look at the Avidity Medical Design Blog. You also might want to consider enrolling in a course offered by Avidity Medical Design Academy.

How to Check Your Heart Rate Using Your Own EKG Monitor

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Doctor holding a digital tablet with a live recorded ecg on it. On the desk in the background is a stethoscope.

The healthy lub-dub sound of your heart valves is one that many people take for granted until they experience or are diagnosed with a heart condition. Things like arrhythmia (irregular heart rate), valvular disease (damage or defects in one of your heart valves), or a history of heart attacks can cause you to become concerned about your cardiac health. As a result, you may want to become more proactive about monitoring your heart rate. Thanks to medical technology, you no longer have to go to the doctor to have an electrocardiogram. You can purchase your own EKG monitor and use it in your own home at your convenience.

What is an At-Home EKG monitor?

An at-home EKG monitor is a portable monitor that you can easily use at home. Sometimes, you can just hold your fingers on the device’s sensors to check your heart rate. Depending on the model you choose, your device may be able to send results to your doctor via Wi-Fi, or transfer the results over the telephone. EKG monitors offer convenience and flexibility, allowing you to deliver your results to your doctor without leaving your home.

Popular At-Home EKG Monitors

There are many at-home EKG monitors available on the market today. They vary based on technological complexity, cost, and the way in which they deliver information to medical professionals. Here are a few inexpensive EKG monitors that you can use in your own home:

  • EMAY portable EKG: This EKG is very inexpensive at $99, and it doesn’t require a smartphone for use. However, it does have smart capabilities to connect with your electronic devices and share with your doctor. One physician indicated that a wonderful feature of this device was clear guidelines as to which readings mean a person needs to get to the emergency room. 
  • AliveCor Kardia Mobile: AliveCor’s model is even less expensive than EMAY’s at $89. It also uses finger/hand sensors for easy, medical-grade readings. The company advertises FDA-approved algorithms. Some customers complain that there is an eventual requirement to pay for a monthly service to fully use the device. 
  • SonoHealth Portable EKG: This portable EKG is much more complex and includes finger sensors and chest leads, which can detect a greater number of abnormalities. 
  • ViATOM’s ECG Monitor: ViATOM’s portable electrocardiogram may be useful for some, but others indicated that it picked up a lot of “noise” that interfered with readings. Other positive reviews indicated it was very simple to use. 
  • Vive Precision EKG Monitor: This EKG is also small, portable, rechargeable, and easy-to-use. It’s the least expensive at $79.99 and connects to smart devices. Some reviewers reported inaccurate readings, but others stated it worked as intended. 

When to Go to the Emergency Room

Talk to your doctor about your specific heart condition, and which symptoms or indicators on the EKG monitor will tell you that you need to get to the emergency room immediately. In many cases, a healthcare professional from the doctor’s office will call you and tell you to get to the ER, after receiving an important medical alert reading from your at-home EKG. That is why it is so important to keep a portable EKG at home, so you can monitor your heart rate, and your doctor can monitor your heart rate, anytime day or night, without you having to schedule a doctor’s appointment.

For more informative articles on healthcare, follow the Avidity Medical Design Blog. To take an online healthcare course, visit the Avidity Medical Design Academy website.