Quantifying the Decrease in Emergency Department Imaging Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic at a Multicenter Healthcare System in Ohio

Authors

Keval D. Parikh, Case Western Reserve University
Nikhil H. Ramaiya, Case Western Reserve UniversityFollow
Elias G. Kikano, Case Western Reserve UniversityFollow
Sree Harsha Tirumani, Case Western Reserve UniversityFollow
Jonathan Pierce, Case Western Reserve University
Carl Butcher, Case Western Reserve UniversityFollow
Jeffrey L. Sunshine, Case Western Reserve UniversityFollow
Donna M. Plecha, Case Western Reserve UniversityFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

Keval D. Parikh

Elias G. Kikano

Sree Harsha Tirumani

Jeffrey L. Sunshine

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2020

Abstract

PURPOSE: To illustrate the change in emergency department (ED) imaging utilization at a multicenter health system in the state of Ohio during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted assessing ED imaging volumes between March 1, 2020, and May 11, 2020, during the COVID-19 crisis. A rolling 7-day total value was used for volume tracking and comparison. Total imaging utilization in the ED was compared with new COVID-19 cases in our region. Utilization was first categorized by modality and then by plain films and computed tomography (CT) scans grouped by body part. CT imaging of the chest was specifically investigated by assessing both CT chest only exams and CT chest, abdomen, and pelvis (C/A/P) exams. Ultimately, matching pair-wise statistical analysis of exam volumes was performed to assess significance of volume change. RESULTS: Our multicenter health system experienced a 46% drop in imaging utilization (p < 0.0001) during the pandemic. Matching pair-wise analysis showed a statistically significant volume decrease by each modality and body part. The exceptions were non-contrast chest CT, which increased (p = 0.0053), and non-trauma C/A/P CT, which did not show a statistically significant volume change (p = 0.0633). CONCLUSION: ED imaging utilization trends revealed through actual health system data will help inform evidence-based decisions for more accurate volume predictions and therefore institutional preparedness for current and future pandemics.

Keywords

COVID-19 (disease), communicable diseases, coronavirus infections, imaging utilization, multimodality

Publication Title

Emergency Radiology

Rights

© American Society of Emergency Radiology 2020. This article is made available via the PMC Open Access Subset for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.

Recommended Citation

Parikh, K.D., Ramaiya, N.H., Kikano, E.G. et al. Quantifying the decrease in emergency department imaging utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic at a multicenter healthcare system in Ohio. Emerg Radiol 27, 765–772 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-020-01848-4