COMMENTARY: When COVID-19 Hits a Region Is it Practical for One Hospital to Serve as the Region’s “COVID-19 Hospital”?

Abstract

Hospitals and “health systems” stand to lose many hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue from cancelled elective surgeries and services as well as from the cascading ripple effects of “patient fear syndrome” affecting nearly all health care professionals.  There are news stories regarding people afraid of going to hospitals for heart attacks, strokes and elective procedures – putting off their health care due to concerns of catching COVID-19.  Hospitals are looking for ways to improve their financial position by cutting costs, including cutting staff and reducing hours.  

What if the hospitals within a defined geographic area formed an “alliance” and identified one hospital within that area as the “COVID-19 hospital” while the other hospital(s) perform all other functions – emergencies for heart attacks, strokes, etc. and elective procedures?