Keith M. Blechman, MD, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Reposted with permission from The Doctors Company. Keith Blechman, MD is a member of the NYSSPS Executive Council and serves as the Treasurer.
Just before New York temporarily banned elective procedures, I looked across the operating table and said, “Leave the sutures long, because the patient is probably going to have to take these sutures out.”
I knew early on that COVID-19 was coming. Through personal connections, I was hearing about events in China, and as the outbreak hit Seattle, I started to prepare. After some rocky early days, leaping the hurdles set by the pandemic has created positive outcomes for my practice, as I have made changes to become more efficient through integrated telemedicine.
So far, my key takeaways for creating a lean, adaptable practice have been:
- Be prepared. I’ve experienced first-hand how practices with remote-work systems already in place have been better off.
- Find efficiencies: Making changes now in light of the pandemic can save your practice time and resources later.
- Choose vendors wisely: This crisis has shown which companies can be counted on to help, and those that fall short. Is it time to reconsider your business partnerships?
- Embrace change: It’s happening (whether you like it or not).
Read the full story
