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Changes in patient visits and diagnoses in a large academic center during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Berkenstock, Meghan K; Liberman, Paulina; McDonnell, Peter J; Chaon, Benjamin C.
  • Berkenstock MK; Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Maumenee Building, Third Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. mberken2@jhmi.edu.
  • Liberman P; Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Maumenee Building, Third Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
  • McDonnell PJ; Departamento de Oftalmología, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
  • Chaon BC; Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Maumenee Building, Third Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
BMC Ophthalmol ; 21(1): 139, 2021 Mar 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1143189
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

To minimize the risk of viral transmission, ophthalmology practices limited face-to-face encounters to only patients with urgent and emergent ophthalmic conditions in the weeks after the start of the COVID-19 epidemic in the United States. The impact of this is unknown.

METHODS:

We did a retrospective analysis of the change in the frequency of ICD-10 code use and patient volumes in the 6 weeks before and after the changes in clinical practice associated with COVID-19.

RESULTS:

The total number of encounters decreased four-fold after the implementation of clinic changes associated with COVID-19. The low vision, pediatric ophthalmology, general ophthalmology, and cornea divisions had the largest total decrease of in-person visits. Conversely, the number of telemedicine visits increased sixty-fold. The number of diagnostic codes associated with ocular malignancies, most ocular inflammatory disorders, and retinal conditions requiring intravitreal injections increased. ICD-10 codes associated with ocular screening exams for systemic disorders decreased during the weeks post COVID-19.

CONCLUSION:

Ophthalmology practices need to be prepared to experience changes in practice patterns, implementation of telemedicine, and decreased patient volumes during a pandemic. Knowing the changes specific to each subspecialty clinic is vital to redistribute available resources correctly.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Ophthalmology / Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Academic Medical Centers / Eye Diseases / Ambulatory Care / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: BMC Ophthalmol Journal subject: Ophthalmology Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12886-021-01886-7

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Ophthalmology / Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Academic Medical Centers / Eye Diseases / Ambulatory Care / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Type of study: Diagnostic study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: BMC Ophthalmol Journal subject: Ophthalmology Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12886-021-01886-7