Impact of COVID-19 telehealth on outpatient test completion.
Intern Med J
; 51(10): 1614-1618, 2021 Oct.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1273101
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Pathology and imaging tests are frequently requested in the outpatient setting despite historically poor completion rates. The impact of COVID-19 telehealth on test completion rates is unknown.AIMS:
To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and telehealth transition on pathology and imaging test request and completion rates in Australian outpatient clinics.METHODS:
We performed a prospective cohort study with historical controls between March-May 2019 and March-May 2020. Pathology and imaging request and completion rates were collected in review consultation patients attending gastroenterology and rheumatology outpatient clinics at a tertiary healthcare system prior and during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne.RESULTS:
A total of 1376 patients was included in the study. Pathology tests were requested more frequently in the COVID-19 group (n = 582/684, 85.2%) than the control group (n = 492/692, 71.1%, P < 0.001), but completion rates were lower in the COVID-19 group (n = 443/582, 76.1%) than the control group (n = 426/492 (86.6%), P < 0.001). Imaging tests were requested more frequently in the COVID-19 group (n = 345/682, 50.6%) than the control group (n = 295/692, 42.6%, P = 0.003), with lower rates of completion in the COVID-19 group (n = 229/345, 66.4%) than the control group (n = 247/295, 83.7%, P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:
The COVID-19 pandemic and telehealth transition have resulted in more frequent pathology and imaging requests but fewer test completion in the outpatients setting. This study has identified new clinical risks associated with the abrupt transition to telehealth during COVID-19 that should be explored in future studies and appropriately mitigated.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Telemedicine
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Oceania
Language:
English
Journal:
Intern Med J
Journal subject:
Internal Medicine
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Imj.15425
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