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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Low-Value Testing and Treatment of Bronchiolitis
- Source :
- Hospital Pediatrics; July 2024, Vol. 14 Issue: 7 pe299-e303, 5p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Viral testing and treatments such as systemic steroids and inhaled corticosteroids are low-value care for routine bronchiolitis. We sought to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-value care in young children with bronchiolitis.This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study using the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. We included children <2 years seen in a pediatric emergency department for bronchiolitis. We selected a priori 3 study periods: September 2018 to February 2020 (prepandemic), March 2020 to August 2022 (early pandemic), and September 2022 to January 2023 (late pandemic). Low-value care included respiratory syncytial virus testing, chest radiography, albuterol, or corticosteroids and was compared across the 3 time periods.At least 1 element of low-value care was provided in 45%, 47%, and 44% of encounters in the prepandemic, early pandemic, and late pandemic periods, respectively. There was little variation in the use of albuterol and chest radiography across time periods and a slight increase in systemic corticosteroid use from prepandemic to early and late pandemic groups. Viral testing increased from 36% prepandemic to 65% early pandemic and 67% late pandemic, which appeared to be driven by SARS-CoV-2 testing and combination viral testing.There was no clinically significant change in low-value care for bronchiolitis during the pandemic. Because of SARS-CoV-2 testing, however, overall frequency of viral testing increased dramatically over time. This marked increase in overall viral testing should be taken into consideration for future quality improvement efforts.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 21541663
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Hospital Pediatrics
- Publication Type :
- Periodical
- Accession number :
- ejs66768450
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2024-007751