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.
Vaccinations: MHI found that 41.4% of the commercially insured were vaccinated as of January 2022, with lower rates of vaccination among residents aged 6-17 years, due to the recently approved provision of the COVID-19 vaccine for this age group. There was also significant variation in rates geographically, with several Missouri counties having only 4% to 12% of their population vaccinated against the virus. A recent study reported that US counties with higher vaccination rates had significantly lower rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths. 1
Emergency Department Utilization in Patients with a COVID-19 Diagnosis: There was a 42% decline in emergency department (ED) visits from March 29th to April 25th 2020 nationwide.2 MHI similarly observed about a 60% decline in ED visits in the commercial population following the arrival of COVID-19 in Missouri. While ED utilization eventually met pre-pandemic baseline levels, the number of ED visits for patients with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis were at an all-time high by the peak of Omicron in January of 2022, accounting for over one-fifth of all ED visits by month 22 of the pandemic.
Urgent Care Utilization in Patients with a COVID-19 Diagnosis: MHI observed a 75% decline in urgent care utilization in April 2020. However, the high demand for testing has led to a consistent increase in urgent care visits throughout the pandemic. Urgent care utilization was at its peak with the arrival of Omicron in Missouri, with a 25.5% increase in total visits from pre-pandemic levels. Testing for COVID-19 was associated with 46.6% of urgent care visits, and a positive COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with 26.3% of visits.
To view MHI’s COVID-19 Chart Books please click here.
References
1. McLaughlin J, Khan F, Pugh S, Swerdlow D, Jodar L. County-level vaccination coverage and rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United States: An ecological analysis. The Lancet Regional Health - Americas. 2022;9:100191. doi:10.1016/j.lana.2022.100191
2. Hartnett KP, Kite-Powell A, DeVies J, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Visits — United States, January 1, 2019–May 30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022;69(23):699-704. doi:10.15585/MMWR.MM6923E1
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