Medical practices made many changes to safeguard patients and staff during the pandemic, including allowing staff to work remotely. Now, the health crisis has receded, but many remain reluctant to return full time to the office. As Patti Barkey, COE, CEO at Bowden Eye & Associates (Jacksonville, Fla.) and ASOA president (2023–2024), said, COVID-19 taught younger workers a lesson: You can work from home. Hence, jobs that don’t permit remote work became less attractive. The pandemic thus exacerbated preexisting staffing shortages, leaving many practices struggling to find and retain skilled workers.