The impact of COVID-19 on healthcare in the United States cannot be overstated. Outside of the clinical and financial implications, the system of care as a whole has been affected, especially in areas generally considered to be elective or routine such as annual physicals, mammograms and colonoscopies.
For months, physicians and providers were only able to provide essential services that could have life-threatening implications. Elective surgeries and routine healthcare were postponed, creating a backlog of care across the country. A recent NPR poll found that roughly one in every five of those surveyed have had at least one member who was unable to get medical care or who has delayed care for a serious medical problem during the pandemic.
