Archive - August 2020 | Mike Mallaro

Update on healthcare trends during pandemic

Posted On: August 25, 2020 by Mike Mallaro in: Healthcare, VGM

Healthcare activity continues to be muted due to impact of the pandemic. Elective medical procedures are still tracking nearly 20% below “normal” levels. The pipeline for new candidates for procedures in not re-filling as fast as historically. Hip and knee replacement volume was actually slightly lower in recent weeks than in June, speaking to the pipeline issue. This same rationale will impact HME patient pipelines. Prescription volumes were 8-10% below...

The 19th Amendment

Posted On: August 18, 2020 by Mike Mallaro in: Community & Loneliness, Opinions, Social commentary, Work Culture

Today (August 18, 2020) marks the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote in America, via ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. In commemoration of this historic advancement in equal rights, I wanted to share some of the lessons that we might be able to take away from this successful struggle, as best I understand from my reading. Meaningful advancements take time. Women won the right to vote in 1920, one-hundred forty-four years after the founding...

Crossing the Bridge

Posted On: August 4, 2020 by Mike Mallaro in: Community & Loneliness, Opinions, Social commentary

My family’s 2020 spring break took an ironic turn that now seems like serendipity. We had planned a Caribbean vacation, but COVID-19 emerged about that time. Not wanting to leave the country, nor get on a plane, we made a quick decision to drive to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. We chose Alabama because it had no cases of the virus at that time, it was drivable from Iowa (15 hours!) and it offered an attractive beach substitute to the Caribbean. We had a wonderful time in Alabama,...