COVID-19 Impact on Phototherapy Treatment in Healthcare Industry
COVID-19 spread badly across the world with high number of cases reported in various countries of globe. COVID-19 has made very bad effect on daily lives as well as the global economy. Many health care companies have to face various complex challenges due to COVID-19. The first case of COVID-19 was reported in the city of Wuhan, China from where it spread in various countries and become pandemic for world. The pandemic situation has badly affected the health care companies and also become opportunity for some domestic companies.
COVID-19 also affected the global phototherapy treatment market by influencing price of phototherapy treatment, demand and supply of phototherapy treatment and various strategic decisions taken by phototherapy treatment centres. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of many phototherapy units.
Phototherapy is defined as medical treatment that involves exposure to fluorescent light bulbs or other sources of light such as halogen lights, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and sunlight to treat critical medical conditions. The phototherapy is also known as light therapy and heliotherapy.
There are mainly two types of phototherapies: narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) light therapy and broadband ultraviolet B (BB-UVB). Narrowband ultraviolet B is the most commonly used phototherapy. It can be used to treat plaque or guttate psoriasis. Broadband ultraviolet B (BB-UVB) is an older form of phototherapy than NB-UVB. BB-UVB is the most effective for plaque psoriasis.

Natus Medical Incorporated is one of the leading players of phototherapy treatment market. But there is decrease in revenue and gross profit of Natus Medical Incorporated in first quarter of 2020 as compared to the revenue and gross profit of company in first quarter of 2019. This shows the negative impact of COVID-19 on global phototherapy treatment market.

PRICE IMPACT
The spread of COVID-19 has negative impact on demand of phototherapy treatment. 50% of patients stopped arriving for the phototherapy treatment due to the fear of COVID-19 infection. The COVID-19 spread also lead to closure phototherapy unit across the globe. This closure also has negative impact on global phototherapy treatment market. Most of phototherapy units have increased their price for the generation of more profit.
For instance,
• The average price of UVB therapy is increased to USD 3,600 annual per patient cost is increased from USD 2,600 annual per patient cost.
• The average cost for phototherapy for neonatal jaundice is between USD 3,000 to USD 5,000 is increased from USD 2,703.

IMPACT ON DEMAND
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of many phototherapy centers in the world especially in areas which are badly hit by the pandemic and areas where maintaining social distancing is difficult. Currently, there is no guidance on managing a phototherapy service or for resuming the service during pandemic. Because spread of COVID-19 risk varies with disease prevalence and because disease prevalence varies in different locations, the decision to resume phototherapy operations needs are based on local public health recommendations and for medical center based units in consultation with institution’s infection control units. Office phototherapy is generally not only an option. There is also an option of home phototherapy and judicial exposure to natural sunlight that should be weighted. This also affects the demand of phototherapy treatment.
The effect of COVID-19 on phototherapy leads to decrease in demand of phototherapy for the treatment of various diseases. From March, more than 50% of patients stopped arriving to treatment due to the fear of COVID-19 infection.
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