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Imaging Volume Trends and Recovery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Analysis Between a Large Urban Academic Hospital and Its Affiliated Imaging Centers.
- Source :
- Academic Radiology; Oct2020, Vol. 27 Issue 10, p1353-1362, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- <bold>Rationale and Objectives: </bold>While affiliated imaging centers play an important role in healthcare systems, little is known of how their operations are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal was to investigate imaging volume trends during the pandemic at our large academic hospital compared to the affiliated imaging centers.<bold>Materials and Methods: </bold>This was a descriptive retrospective study of imaging volume from an academic hospital (main hospital campus) and its affiliated imaging centers from January 1 through May 21, 2020. Imaging volume assessment was separated into prestate of emergency (SOE) period (before SOE in Massachusetts on March 10, 2020), "post-SOE" period (time after "nonessential" services closure on March 24, 2020), and "transition" period (between pre-SOE and post-SOE).<bold>Results: </bold>Imaging volume began to decrease on March 11, 2020, after hospital policy to delay nonessential studies. The average weekly imaging volume during the post-SOE period declined by 54% at the main hospital campus and 64% at the affiliated imaging centers. The rate of imaging volume recovery was slower for affiliated imaging centers (slope = 6.95 for weekdays) compared to main hospital campus (slope = 7.18 for weekdays). CT, radiography, and ultrasound exhibited the lowest volume loss, with weekly volume decrease of 41%, 49%, and 53%, respectively, at the main hospital campus, and 43%, 61%, and 60%, respectively, at affiliated imaging centers. Mammography had the greatest volume loss of 92% at both the main hospital campus and affiliated imaging centers.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Affiliated imaging center volume decreased to a greater degree than the main hospital campus and showed a slower rate of recovery. Furthermore, the trend in imaging volume and recovery were temporally related to public health announcements and COVID-19 cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10766332
- Volume :
- 27
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Academic Radiology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 146171578
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2020.08.008