Below please find a summary and link(s) of new coronavirus-related content published today in Annals of Internal Medicine. The summary below is not intended to substitute for the full article as a source of information. A collection of coronavirus-related content is free to the public at http://go.annals.org/coronavirus.
1. ACP Leaders suggest using "New Vision" to guide U.S. health care reform during and after COVID-19 pandemic
Paper discusses issues of socioeconomic, racial, and gender-based inequality amplified by the current pandemic
A group of American College of Physicians (ACP) leaders say that policy recommendations outlined in the organization's policy paper, "Better is Possible: The American College of Physicians Vision for the U.S. Health Care System," can help advise current actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They suggest that the paper can guide future actions to improve access to care, reduce per capita health care costs, and reduce health care system complexity. The Ideas and Opinions article, "The Collision of COVID-19 and the U.S. Health System," is published today in Annals of Internal Medicine. Read the full text: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-1851.
The authors say the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need for improving access to care for all Americans, as universal coverage would help millions of uninsured Americans and provide a safety net for those facing financial burden. And of particular relevance right now, the current pandemic has also demonstrated how factors of race and ethnicity are contributing to an inequitable health care system, resulting in poor outcomes for these populations. ACP's New Vision for U.S. Health Care makes policy recommendations to reduce social factors and eliminate social barriers for vulnerable and underserved populations, including women.