Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Utilization among Medically Underserved Patients with Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

This study aims to examine (1) the impact of the pandemic phases on overall and preventable hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits, and (2) the effect of the pandemic on these outcomes within subgroup populations including gender, race, patients' residence in health professional shortage areas (HPSA), and residence in a federal poverty level.

Study design

We used electronic medical record (EMR) data for the year 2019 and 2020 from a large health system predominantly serving medically underserved patients in the South. We used a difference-in-differences approach to examine changes in weekly rates of overall and preventable hospitalizations and ED visits in the pandemic phase 1 (Mid-March to June of 2020) and phase 2 (July-September of 2020) compar

SUBMITTER: Chumbler NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11418340 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature