A dramatic increase to Medicare reimbursements for telemedicine services that allowed health care providers to receive payment for services they provide online, could continue after the public health emergency is over.

The physical office and classroom space will continue to facilitate interaction, collaboration and innovation and ultimately, personal health, wellbeing and productivity. But we must approach these spaces in a different way as we move forward. 

“Let’s hope 2021 isn’t anything like 2020,” said Les McCoy, president and CEO of DesignPoint Inc. based in Bethlehem. “Let’s put an asterisk next to it and write it off.”

In this segment, we discuss recent banking changes because of COVID and new reveals for the credit union. George Nahodil, CEO and President of Members 1st Federal Credit Union, and Mike Wilson, CMO and Chief Relationship Officer.

“The green phase was promising from the business perspective. Everyone expected green means go, we’d be open and back to normal, and that has not happened,” said Rebecca Warren, a partner at Norris McLaughlin P.A

The reopening of businesses, colleges and other institutions in the midst of a global pandemic obviously creates unique challenges. Architects are being called upon to address these in ways that maximize health and safety, while allowing for as much normalcy as possible.     

State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced a $10 million contract with Feeding Pennsylvania to funnel surplus agriculture products from state producers to nonprofit hunger relief agencies to provide fresh, local foods to Pennsylvanians in need.

Lehigh County Community College, based in Schnecksville, has joined the Bellevue University Premier Partner Network to encourage students and graduates to advance their degrees with online learning.

Pamela Shupp Menet, who currently serves as vice president of external affairs for the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, is taking over the newly created dual role of economic development director and deputy chief administration officer for Berks County.

“Our people stepped up to the plate,” Ross Born, CEO of Just Born said. “We didn’t skip a beat. I did not hear, ‘Well, we can’t do that.’ There was a can-do attitude of ‘We will figure out how to do that.”