Health system performance and health system preparedness for the post-pandemic impact of COVID-19: A review
Dimuthu Rathnayake, Mike Clarke, Viraj Jayasinghe
Abstract
Newly emerging infectious diseases have had damaging impacts on healthcare systems throughout history and have been most acute in weaker health systems. With the COVID-19 pandemic, even the well-developed health systems are struggling most to cope as the crisis deepens in the regions of Europe and America. This review article attempts to raise concerns for decision makers and health service providers to balance performance amid COVID-19 outbreak with the need to minimize deterioration in the health of people with pre-existing conditions. COVID-19 is now at the forefront of the minds of policy makers, health service providers and the public. All resources are being prioritized to contain the pandemic. Waiting times for elective surgeries have increased dramatically over recent years and it has become a major policy concern in many countries with health systems operated with public funds. The mortality and morbidity caused by COVID-19 may be outnumbered many times if adequate attention is not paid now to the burden of prevailing long waiting queues for the management of non-communicable diseases, cancers and other conditions. Mobilizing researcher support and evidence synthesis of existing research is crucial to health system preparedness for the post-pandemic impact of COVID-19.