Trends in US Surgical Procedures and Health Care System Response to Policies Curtailing Elective Surgical Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open
; 4(12): e2138038, 2021 12 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1560592
ABSTRACT
Importance The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of medical care, including surgical treatment. It is critical to understand the association of government policies and infection burden with surgical access across the United States. Objective:
To describe the change in surgical procedure volume in the US after the government-suggested shutdown and subsequent peak surge in volume of patients with COVID-19. Design, Setting, andParticipants:
This retrospective cohort study was conducted using administrative claims from a nationwide health care technology clearinghouse. Claims from pediatric and adult patients undergoing surgical procedures in 49 US states within the Change Healthcare network of health care institutions were used. Surgical procedure volume during the 2020 initial COVID-19-related shutdown and subsequent fall and winter infection surge were compared with volume in 2019. Data were analyzed from November 2020 through July 2021. Exposures 2020 policies to curtail elective surgical procedures and the incidence rate of patients with COVID-19. Main Outcomes andMeasures:
Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated from a Poisson regression comparing total procedure counts during the initial shutdown (March 15 to May 2, 2020) and subsequent COVID-19 surge (October 22, 2020-January 31, 2021) with corresponding 2019 dates. Surgical procedures were analyzed by 11 major procedure categories, 25 subcategories, and 12 exemplar operative procedures along a spectrum of elective to emergency indications.Results:
A total of 13â¯108â¯567 surgical procedures were identified from January 1, 2019, through January 30, 2021, based on 3498 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. This included 6â¯651â¯921 procedures in 2019 (3â¯516â¯569 procedures among women [52.9%]; 613â¯192 procedures among children [9.2%]; and 1â¯987â¯397 procedures among patients aged ≥65 years [29.9%]) and 5â¯973â¯573 procedures in 2020 (3â¯156â¯240 procedures among women [52.8%]; 482â¯637 procedures among children [8.1%]; and 1â¯806â¯074 procedures among patients aged ≥65 years [30.2%]). The total number of procedures during the initial shutdown period and its corresponding period in 2019 (ie, epidemiological weeks 12-18) decreased from 905â¯444 procedures in 2019 to 458â¯469 procedures in 2020, for an IRR of 0.52 (95% CI, 0.44 to 0.60; P < .001) with a decrease of 48.0%. There was a decrease in surgical procedure volume across all major categories compared with corresponding weeks in 2019. During the initial shutdown, otolaryngology (ENT) procedures (IRR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.46; P < .001) and cataract procedures (IRR, 0.11; 95% CI, -0.11 to 0.32; P = .03) decreased the most among major categories. Organ transplants and cesarean deliveries did not differ from the 2019 baseline. After the initial shutdown, during the ensuing COVID-19 surge, surgical procedure volumes rebounded to 2019 levels (IRR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95 to 1.00; P = .10) except for ENT procedures (IRR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.75; P < .001). There was a correlation between state volumes of patients with COVID-19 and surgical procedure volume during the initial shutdown (r = -0.00025; 95% CI, -0.0042 to -0.0009; P = .003), but there was no correlation during the COVID-19 surge (r = -0.00034; 95% CI, -0.0075 to 0.00007; P = .11). Conclusions and Relevance This study found that the initial shutdown period in March through April 2020, was associated with a decrease in surgical procedure volume to nearly half of baseline rates. After the reopening, the rate of surgical procedures rebounded to 2019 levels, and this trend was maintained throughout the peak burden of patients with COVID-19 in fall and winter; these findings suggest that after initial adaptation, health systems appeared to be able to self-regulate and function at prepandemic capacity.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Surgical Procedures, Operative
/
Communicable Disease Control
/
Delivery of Health Care
/
Policy
/
Pandemics
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COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
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Observational study
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Prognostic study
Limits:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Child
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Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
JAMA Netw Open
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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