Outpatient and medical practice visits have fallen off a cliff since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study by The Commonwealth Fund conducted by researchers from Harvard University and Phreesia, a healthcare software company. Altogether, outpatient visits declined by 57% between March 1 and March 29, although the trend appears to have moderated since then, with visits down 54% as of April 12. Children between the ages of 7 and 17 and adults over the age of 75 were much more likely than average to avoid such visits. Region mattered, with a 64% decline in New England and the Mid-Atlantic as of April 12, and a 58% drop on the West Coast. As for specific specialties, ophthalmology visits fell 79% as of April 5; dermatology down 73%; and general surgery down 66%, among others.
Read the full article: Outpatient Visits Plunged in Second Half of March, Commonwealth Fund Says //
Source: https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/outpatient-visits-plunged-in-second-half-of-march-commonwealth-fund-says/576699