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Arkansas hospital leaders tell Lt. Gov. Griffin hospitals are ready as elective care resumes
Summary
Hospital executives told Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin that Arkansas hospitals have preserved surge capacity, expanded telehealth and improved PPE and testing supplies, but warned that deferred care and testing turnaround in rural areas remain pressing concerns.
Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin convened a virtual town hall with hospital leaders from across Arkansas to discuss how COVID-19 has affected care delivery, capacity and patient behavior, and what systems are doing as some elective services resume.
Hospital executives said communities across the state have largely avoided the severe surges seen in some national hot spots, and they described steps taken to protect patients and staff while restoring services. "We went from doing maybe 50 or so telehealth visits ... and we're at probably about 4,000 a month right now, just in pediatrics," Marcy Dotter, CEO of Arkansas Children's Hospital, said, citing a rapid expansion of virtual visits. Several speakers added that they expect a lasting shift to telemedicine, with one executive estimating 20 to 30 percent of outpatient visits will remain virtual.
Why it matters: Administrators said deferred care and delayed screenings have reduced hospital revenue and contributed to sicker patients arriving later in the course of illness.…
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