Private healthcare consumption and Covid-19: Experiences and perspectives

This contribution aims to provide a summary of the initiatives experienced by the main actors of private health care during the first weeks of the Covid-19 outbreak in Italy. The Observatory on Privately Financed Health Consumption (OCPS) of Cergas-SDA Bocconi has investigated the impact and repercussions of the outbreak on the internal organization and the relationships with users and external stakeholders, the introduction of new services and innovation, and the expected scenarios in the post-emergency phase. The exceptional nature of the outbreak prevented private health care companies from formulating crisis management strategies and forced them to take action on a day-by-day basis. Main criticisms concerned the guarantee of safety of employees and patients despite the shortage of PPE and a constant and uncoordinated update of instructions and procedures. Actions focused on the adjustment of the processes to deal with organizational and safety requirements. The emergency has forced the enhancement of digital instruments for workers and patients. In response to the emergency, private health care providers converted their facilities and health insurance players extended services and guarantees for their enrollees. Associations as well have played an important role in sharing information and coordinate the associates. The research highlights a poor ability to create an effective public-private integration.