There is no way around it: COVID-19 has exposed major structural flaws within our healthcare system, and many people are now suffering the consequences of those flaws. On the latest episode of The Scope with Dr. K, Dr. Lawrence Kosinski and Dr. Joel Brill discuss how the pandemic has affected gastroenterology practices.

“The pandemic really brought gastroenterology to a screeching halt,” Brill said. “Elective GI [procedures] have declined by 85-90%. Staffs have been furloughed, and physicians’ income has been acutely affected.”

Brill, CMO of Predictive Health, is also the lead physician for the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Bundled Payment Project. He has over 30 years of consulting experience, providing strategic leadership and medical oversight to large, data-driven health organizations.

The podcast, which airs on HealthcareNOW Radio, focuses on how gastroenterology practices can move forward both during and after the pandemic, including how increasing the usage of telemedicine can reignite GI providers’ future success.

“Some practices have been able to adapt and pivot [to telemedicine], and some haven’t,” Brill said. “The game has changed – telemedicine is clearly here to stay.”