Pandemic Paychecks

I read today of man in Florida who posted on Facebook that his God was stronger than any virus and there was no reason to fear.  He changed his tune when both he and his wife came down with COVID-19. He was hospitalized for two weeks. His wife is still on a ventilator and has made no improvement.  They were both self employed but the loss of their income seems insignificant to the very real struggle to just survive one more day.  The road to recovery before him is long and will be hard.  My heart aches for him and his wife.

I know of two people who showed up to work with cough, fever and shortness of breath.  The first was detected quickly and found to have COVID-19.  That person was able to be sent home rapidly but there was a very real risk of infecting many others.  The other works at a large box store.  Initially the person refused testing for COVID-19 saying that it was just a sinus infection.  Thankfully a fever was present and the employer wouldn't allow the person to come back to work until there was an evaluation. That COVID-19 test is pending but I would be surprised if it were negative.  In both instances, these two individuals needed their next paycheck to stay afloat.  Missing work, even with sick days was too big of a risk financially.

In my own office we have 20% of our staff that have been sent home, "furloughed."  We are now being encouraged to open up to seeing more patients but have fewer staff with which to do it.  As we see more patients, we actually may need more support staff to make sure we maintain appropriate distancing, keep the waiting room to a minimum number of people and screen those that come in for symptoms.  There is a tricky balance of always doing the right thing for the patient and still staying financially sound.  At the hospital, nurses are being used to cover the duties of med techs and phlebotomists who have been furloughed.  They are also being asked to care for more patients than before due to the cutbacks. 

Obviously, I am concerned about how financial stress will affect our ability to keep our patients and community safe.  That said, I am not immune to financial pressures myself.  Amidst these cut backs it was announced that the doctor's compensation system would remain unchanged.  This may sound good on the surface but we get paid according to how much we do.  If our productivity drops by 40%, our pay will drop by the same amount.  There is a lot of pressure to do more and see more, especially right now.  I am grateful that in my office the other providers and myself have agreed that we will not see older adults for routine visits during this first phase of opening up.  Acting responsibly now will pay bigger dividends than chasing a higher paycheck.

I think as a society we all are making similar choices as the economy is allowed to resume.  The financial strain cannot be oversimplified.  There are many who are hurting badly. The old saying about being penny wise and pound foolish seems to apply here.  We will all do better and be healthier by making the right decisions for all of us.  Let us cautiously move into our next phase, never being too hasty.  We all have our part and we need to play it together.