Trends in healthcare utilisation during COVID-19: a longitudinal study from the UK.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on healthcare utilisation. The aim of this retrospective review was to quantify how utilisation of non-COVID care changed during this time so as to gain insight and inform planning of future services during potential second and subsequent waves.

Methods and analysis

A longitudinal design was used to analyse anonymous private UK health insurer datasets covering the period of January 2018 to August 2020. Taken as a measure of healthcare utilisation in the UK, incidence rates of claims broken down by service area and condition were calculated alongside overall monthly totals and costs. Pre-COVID-19 years were compared with the current year.

Results

Healthcare utilisation during the first wave of COVID-1

SUBMITTER: Howarth A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8327639 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature