疫情肆虐之時,人們覺得醫院理所當然大賺特賺。畢竟,醫院真的是沖到了最前線與疫情搏斗,它們同時也收獲回報。這難道不是天經地義的嗎?
現實卻復雜得很。新冠疫情爆發對醫院的打擊非常嚴重。特尼特醫療和HCA醫療是美國最大的兩家醫療機構,今年以來它們的股價已經下跌了30%到50%。
放在更大范圍的市場中比較,這股價實在不堪入目。財務壓力致使關鍵的醫療部門不得不裁員,與此同時大家又指望醫院在危機中沖鋒陷陣。
一大重要因素是大醫院最賺錢的業務(也就是所謂的擇期手術)大幅減少了。
所謂擇期手術并非專指整容或純粹的選擇性手術。根據約翰斯·霍普金斯的說法,這可以是一種提前安排好的改善生活質量的手術。你的生命或許不會立即受到威脅,但并非說手術無關緊要。擇期手術的范圍很廣,移除腎結石、髖關節置換乃至癌癥患者的活檢都是。
由于醫療機構受限于空間,以及怕民眾暴露于冠狀病毒下引發公共健康風險,此類擇期手術早早就暫停了。隨之造成的賬務影響卻不容小覷。喬治·華盛頓大學研究人員進行的一項研究表明,相比急診,每個擇期手術的病人通常為醫院多帶來700美元的收入。
上周二,紐約州的州長安德魯·科莫宣布,該州的某些醫院(指紐約市以外的醫院;紐約市是目前美國新冠病毒的疫情中心)可以“從4月28日起恢復擇期門診治療”。他不是唯一這么做的??屏_拉多州的州長賈里德·波利斯于上周早些時候也說,依照新的聯邦政府指南,某些門診治療可望在一周內恢復。
這些公告附帶許多限制措施。比如,紐約州的62個縣中,有19個在此類治療上仍然受限,個別醫院仍然受到最近的新冠病毒收治條例的約束。
各種因素掀起的強大風暴重擊了醫療產業。
該行業的主要商業組織美國醫院協會的發言人對《財富》雜志說:“收入的損失主要是由于取消了非緊急護理,以及非緊急治療、就診等的擱置推遲。相關措施應該在州、地方、社區層面,與醫院商討并參考醫生護士的專業建議后才決定?!?/p>
簡而言之:醫院的處境極其不妙。一方面,新冠患者把它們壓得喘不過氣來;另一方面,又不得不把最來錢的生意放到一邊。這不僅僅是財務問題,還危及到醫護人員的飯碗。
美國心臟協會的一位發言人說:“這次公共健康危機帶來的壓力使得一些醫院不得不讓醫護人員停工休假,甚至解雇他們。”(財富中文網)
譯者:李耀和
疫情肆虐之時,人們覺得醫院理所當然大賺特賺。畢竟,醫院真的是沖到了最前線與疫情搏斗,它們同時也收獲回報。這難道不是天經地義的嗎?
現實卻復雜得很。新冠疫情爆發對醫院的打擊非常嚴重。特尼特醫療和HCA醫療是美國最大的兩家醫療機構,今年以來它們的股價已經下跌了30%到50%。
放在更大范圍的市場中比較,這股價實在不堪入目。財務壓力致使關鍵的醫療部門不得不裁員,與此同時大家又指望醫院在危機中沖鋒陷陣。
一大重要因素是大醫院最賺錢的業務(也就是所謂的擇期手術)大幅減少了。
所謂擇期手術并非專指整容或純粹的選擇性手術。根據約翰斯·霍普金斯的說法,這可以是一種提前安排好的改善生活質量的手術。你的生命或許不會立即受到威脅,但并非說手術無關緊要。擇期手術的范圍很廣,移除腎結石、髖關節置換乃至癌癥患者的活檢都是。
由于醫療機構受限于空間,以及怕民眾暴露于冠狀病毒下引發公共健康風險,此類擇期手術早早就暫停了。隨之造成的賬務影響卻不容小覷。喬治·華盛頓大學研究人員進行的一項研究表明,相比急診,每個擇期手術的病人通常為醫院多帶來700美元的收入。
上周二,紐約州的州長安德魯·科莫宣布,該州的某些醫院(指紐約市以外的醫院;紐約市是目前美國新冠病毒的疫情中心)可以“從4月28日起恢復擇期門診治療”。他不是唯一這么做的。科羅拉多州的州長賈里德·波利斯于上周早些時候也說,依照新的聯邦政府指南,某些門診治療可望在一周內恢復。
這些公告附帶許多限制措施。比如,紐約州的62個縣中,有19個在此類治療上仍然受限,個別醫院仍然受到最近的新冠病毒收治條例的約束。
各種因素掀起的強大風暴重擊了醫療產業。
該行業的主要商業組織美國醫院協會的發言人對《財富》雜志說:“收入的損失主要是由于取消了非緊急護理,以及非緊急治療、就診等的擱置推遲。相關措施應該在州、地方、社區層面,與醫院商討并參考醫生護士的專業建議后才決定?!?/p>
簡而言之:醫院的處境極其不妙。一方面,新冠患者把它們壓得喘不過氣來;另一方面,又不得不把最來錢的生意放到一邊。這不僅僅是財務問題,還危及到醫護人員的飯碗。
美國心臟協會的一位發言人說:“這次公共健康危機帶來的壓力使得一些醫院不得不讓醫護人員停工休假,甚至解雇他們?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
譯者:李耀和
In these times of crisis, you might expect that hospitals are raking in the profits. After all, they are, literally, on the front lines of dealing with the pandemic. Wouldn't it make sense that they're also reaping the rewards?
The reality is far more complicated. The COVID-19 outbreak's effect on the hospital industry has been harsh. Two of the country's largest health systems, Tenet Healthcare and HCA Healthcare, have seen their stock value decline 30% to 50% so far this year.
That's a significantly worse outcome compared to broader markets. Financial pressure has led to a dynamic wherein a critical medical sector has had to consequently lay off workers—while still expected to lead the charge in the midst of a crisis.
One driving reason is a monumental decrease in major hospital systems' most profitable enterprises: so-called elective surgeries.
To parse the terminology: An elective surgery isn't necessarily a cosmetic or purely optional surgery. It can be an operation scheduled in advance to improve your quality of life, according to Johns Hopkins. That might not be an immediately life-threatening event—but that doesn't mean it's insignificant. The range of elective procedures could be anything from removing a kidney stone to hip replacements to biopsies for cancer patients.
Such elective procedures were initially paused given space constraints at medical facilities and the public health risks of exposing people to the coronavirus. But the downstream financial effects have been significant. Elective surgeries bring in, on average, $700 more per patient admission than an emergency room stay, according to one study conducted by George Washington University researchers.
On last Tuesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that certain hospitals in the state (ones outside of New York City, the current epicenter of U.S. coronavirus cases) could "resume performing elective outpatient treatments on April 28." He's not alone—Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said earlier last week that certain outpatient procedures could begin resuming within a week in accordance with new federal government guidelines.
These announcements come with a whole lot of caveats. For instance, 19 of New York's 62 counties will still face restrictions when it comes to such procedures, and individual hospitals will be subject to metrics such as recent COVID-19 hospitalizations.
The perfect storm of factors is hitting the industry hard.
"Lost revenue is due in large part to the cancellation of nonemergent care and the deferral of other nonurgent treatments and visits," a spokesperson for the American Hospital Association, the industry's main trade group, told Fortune. "Decisions about these procedures should be determined at the state, local, and community level in consultation with hospitals and the clinical recommendations of physicians and nurses."
In short: Hospitals are in a precarious position as they're overwhelmed with coronavirus patients and been forced to put their biggest moneymakers on the back burner. And that's not a purely financial problem—it's a personnel issue too.
"This strain has resulted in some hospitals having to furlough or lay off health care workers to respond to this public health crisis," an AHA spokesperson said.