Springfield Business Journal_2021-03-01

SPRINGFIELD BUSINES S JOURNAL · 3 MARCH 1-7, 2021 NEWS Officials reflect on year of change at Health Care Outlook Medical professionals are ‘cautiously optimistic’ as pandemic continues by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net While COVID-19 was responsible for the cancellation of last year’s Health Care Outlook, the Feb. 23 event’s participants struck a chord of optimism as the pan- demic’s presence in the Ozarks nears the year mark. Mercy Hospital Springfield President and Chief Operating Officer Brent Hub- bard spoke at the Springfield Area Cham- ber of Commerce’s livestreamed event about the downward trend of COVID-19 hospitalizations and positive cases, which he expects to continue at least through the summer. Hubbard was part of a panel discussion, moderated by chamber Presi- dent Matt Morrow, along with guests Amy DeMelo, president of Cox College, and Jill Williams, vice president of work- force initiatives with the Missouri Hospi- tal Association. As of Feb. 24, 62 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized in Springfield at Mer- cy or CoxHealth facilities, according to Springfield-Greene County Health De- partment data. That’s down 45% from 113 COVID-19 local hospitalizations on Feb. 1. “Over the next few months, it’s en- couraging. We’re cautiously optimistic of what’s to come with the pandemic,” Hubbard said, noting the few COVID-19 variants circulat- ing globally could slightly impact hos- pitalizations in the coming months. “What is imperative is we continue to get vaccinations in arms. If we contin- ue to do that across southwest Missouri, we will keep COVID at bay.” Hubbard said COVID will probably be- come an endemic virus handled similarly to the seasonal flu today. Needed change The panelists discussed ongoing changes in the health care industry, such as improving medical care access for pa- tients, adopting and using technology in virtual medicine, and meeting workforce demands. “Since the pandemic, we’ve probably com pressed five years of change into one yea r,” Hubbard said, adding 13% of Mer- cy’ s overall physician visits for patients are now virtual. “That’s the benefit of the pandemic. If there’s anything good that has come out of it, it’s the rate of change that needed to happen in health care.” Both DeMelo and Williams spoke of the workforce landscape for IN THIS ISSUE An esthetician turns her interest in vintage items into a shop on C-Street. PAGE 5 Nabholz Construction is building the $15.6 million new Williams Elementar y. PAGE 19 Vol. 41 No. 32 Editor Eric Olson recounts how business kept moving despite the recen t cold weather crisis. OPINION PAGE 21 “What is imperative is we continue to get vaccinations in arms . If we continue to do that ... we will keep COVID at bay.” –Brent Hubbard of Mercy Springfield Communities, on his cautious optimism regarding the pandemic PAGE 3 QUOTE OF THE WEEK See OUTLOOK on page 17 FOCUS | PAGE 9 MEDICAL TALK Springfield chamber President Matt Morrow, far left, addresses industry trends with health care panelists Amy DeMelo, Brent Hubbard and Jill Williams. MIKE CULLINAN