Though there has been a return to pre-pandemic trends in some areas of health care, COVID-19 continues to change the medical landscape. The Midwest Health Initiative’s (MHI) new report, Getting Back to Normal: COVID-19 in the Age of Variants examines care received by Missouri’s commercially insured population (aged 0-64 years) and details trends in vaccinations; testing; inpatient care and hospital-based therapeutics; mental health diagnoses; telehealth; and other health care services.
Surgeries: A JAMA study reported a 48% decline in total surgical procedures during the initial seven weeks of the pandemic.1 MHI saw a similar 40% decrease in surgeries between March and April 2020. There was a return to care observed in surgical utilization trends by that summer. However, another sharp decline occurred following the arrival of the Omicron variant in Missouri. During the Omicron surge the American Red Cross reported a first-ever blood crisis resulting in a 10% decline in blood donations.2 The shortage was bolstered by blood drive cancellations and staff shortages, which resulted in delayed medical procedures across the nation.
Preventative Screenings: Routine colon cancer and mammogram screenings across the country dropped precipitously by about 95% following the onset of the pandemic in 2020.3 MHI found an approximate 80% decrease in routine colon cancer screenings and 96% decrease in routine mammograms during the first month of the pandemic in Missouri’s commercial population. Both preventative screening rates returned to pre-pandemic levels after the first wave passed. However, mammogram rates experienced dips coinciding with the Delta and Omicron variants. While at-home colon cancer screening options could have curbed interruptions in care, because mammograms require in-office settings, they may have been more greatly affected by the impact of COVID-19 variants.
To view MHI’s COVID-19 Chart Books please click here.
References
1. Mattingly AS, Rose L, Eddington HS, et al. Trends in US Surgical Procedures and Health Care System Response to Policies Curtailing Elective Surgical Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(12):e2138038-e2138038. doi:10.1001/JAMANETWORKOPEN.2021.38038
2. American Red Cross. Red Cross Declares First-ever Blood Crisis amid Omicron Surge. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/press-release/2022/blood-donors-needed-now-as-omicron-intensifies.html.
3. McBain, R. K., Cantor, J. H., Jena, A. B., Pera, M. F., Bravata, D. M., & Whaley, C. M. (2021). Decline and Rebound in Routine Cancer Screening Rates During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 36(6), 1829. doi.org/10.1007/S11606-021-06660-5
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