Those patients may require hospitals to expand intensive care units, spend more on infection control and stock up on gowns and masks, among other items.
The American Hospital Association estimated in a recent report that the nation’s hospitals and health systems will collectively lose more than $36 billion from March to June treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Nationally, the health care sector shed nearly 1.5 million jobs from February to April, or about 9% of its total, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Even so, health care researchers expect hospitals, doctor’s offices and surgery centers to rebound gradually.
It also may take a while for some patients to become confident that a hospital or doctor’s office is safe enough to visit without catching COVID-19.
