Changes in Service Delivery and Access to Rheumatologists Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Canadian Universal Healthcare Setting
Authors' conclusion
Rheumatology care delivery has shifted due to the pandemic, with telemedicine increasing sharply early in the pandemic and persisting over time. The pandemic also negatively affected access to rheumatologists, resulting in fewer new consultations and raising concerns for potential delays to diagnosis.
Study context
- Population
- Patients seen by rheumatologists in Ontario, Canada (universal healthcare)
- Participants
- 289,202 vs 276,686
- Exposure
- COVID-19 pandemic period vs pre-pandemic period
- Year prior to the pandemicn = 289,202reference
- 1 year following the pandemic onsetn = 276,686
- Outcome
- Changes in service delivery and access to rheumatologists (weekly volume of encounters and monthly rates by encounter type vs expected baseline)
Methodological detailsbilling claims data, comparison with expected pre-pandemic baseline rates
- Billing claims data
- Comparison with expected pre-pandemic baseline rates
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
| Group | Value | New consults | Rheumatologists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year prior to the pandemic | 289,202 patients | 96,955 | 239 |
| 1 year following the pandemic onset | 276,686 patients | 86,553 | 247 |
Value
Year prior to the pandemic289,202 patients
1 year following the pandemic onset276,686 patients
New consults
Year prior to the pandemic96,955
1 year following the pandemic onset86,553
Rheumatologists
Year prior to the pandemic239
1 year following the pandemic onset247
- Immediate decrease in outpatient office visits, March 2020
- 75.9%
- Patient encounters remaining telemedicine visits by September 2021
- 49.7%
- Immediate decrease in new patient consultation visits at pandemic onset
- 50%
- New consultations diverted to telemedicine, first year of the pandemic
- 54.8%
- New consultations diverted to telemedicine by September 2021
- 37.4%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Changes in Service Delivery and Access to Rheumatologists Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Canadian Universal Healthcare Setting. J Rheumatol. Published 1 October 2022. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →