Impact of Covid-19 on Trends in Outpatient Clinic Utilization

A Tale of 2 Departments

Bibliographic Data

ID9101803
AuthorsCourtney E McCracken (0000-0001-7941-1256, Center for Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Georgia, Atlanta, GA, corresponding author), Jennifer C Gander (0000-0002-4798-0750, Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO), Bennett Mcdonald (0000-0002-7455-0940, Center for Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Georgia, Atlanta, GA, corresponding author), Glenn K Goodrich (0000-0002-0487-0682, Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO), Heather M Tavel (Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO), Sundeep Basra (0000-0003-0040-9896, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States, Rockville, MD), Nancy S Weinfield (0000-0002-1417-2271, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States, Rockville, MD), Debra P Ritzwoller (0000-0001-7116-8458, Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, CO), Douglas W Roblin (Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States, Rockville, MD), Teaniese L Davis (0000-0001-7408-0291, Center for Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Georgia, Atlanta, GA, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume61
IssueSuppl 1
PagesS4-S11
Publication date2023-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0000000000001812
PMID36893413
OpenAlexW4323655746
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited19

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic forced many US health care organizations to shift from mostly in-person care to a hybrid of virtual visits (VV) and in-person visits (IPV). While there was an expected and immediate shift to virtual care (VC) early in the pandemic, little is known about trends in VC use after restrictions eased. METHODS: This is a retrospective study using data from 3 health care systems. All completed visits from adult primary care (APC) and behavioral health (BH) were extracted from the electronic health record of adults aged 19 years and older from January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021. Standardized weekly visit rates were calculated by department and site and analyzed using time series analysis. RESULTS: There was an immediate decrease in APC visits following the onset of the pandemic. IPV were quickly replaced by VV such that VV accounted for most APC visits early in the pandemic. By 2021, VV rates declined, and VC visits accounted for <50% of all APC visits. By Spring 2021, all 3 health care systems saw a resumption of APC visits as rates neared or returned to prepandemic levels. In contrast, BH visit rates remained constant or slightly increased. By April 2020, almost all BH visits were being delivered virtually at each of the 3 sites and continue to do so without changes to utilization. CONCLUSIONS: VC use peaked during the early pandemic period. While rates of VC are higher than prepandemic levels, IPV are the predominant visit type in APC. In contrast, VC use has sustained in BH, even after restrictions eased

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Emergency department · Family medicine · Health care · Medical emergency · Outpatient visits · Pandemic · Retrospective cohort study · Young adult · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Demography · Emergency Medicine · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Nursing · Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation · Gerontology · Pediatrics

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