Laboratory Question for the Week of February 14, 2022

Question:

What services do you expect will rebound more quickly as the pandemic eases? How can labs prepare for increased service volumes?

Answer:

Individuals have stayed away from seeking general healthcare as there has been a fear factor associated with a potential for exposure in healthcare settings—such as a physician office or hospital waiting area—where it is suspected that COVID-19 may be present. Outpatient diagnostics are coming back—but slowly. When people present for treatment, they are typically sicker and require more diagnostic services. Thus, laboratories need to be prepared to manage on reduced budgets. For many labs, COVID-19 testing will most likely remain high, but the cost of the testing may make it difficult to be profitable.