Impact of easing COVID-19 safety measures on trauma computed tomography imaging volumes

• DOI: 10.1007/s10140-022-02096-4
• Publication Date: 2022-10-29T03:20:19Z
• Authors: Sriram Rao; Justin Glavis-Bloom; David Kakish; Karen Tran-Harding; Daniel S. Chow; Michael Nguyentat; Eric O. Yeates; Jeffry Nahmias; Roozbeh Houshyar
• Keywords: Trauma Center; Staffing; Penetrating Trauma; Blunt trauma; Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to substantial disruptions in healthcare staffing and operations. Stay-at-home (SAH) orders limitations social gathering implemented spring 2020 were followed by initial decreases imaging utilization. This study aims evaluate the impact of subsequent easing SAH on trauma volumes, demand for, turnaround times for computed tomography (CT) exams, hypothesizing that after decreases, volumes have increased as COVID safety measures been reduced.Patient characteristics, CT time analyzed all adult activated emergency department patients requiring at a single Level-I center (1/2018-2/2022) located sixth most populous county USA. Based place state California, three periods compared: baseline (PRE, 1/1/2018-3/19/2020), (COVID, 3/20/2020-1/25/2021), POST (1/26/2021-2/28/2022).There 16,984 across (PRE = 8289, 3139, 5556). average daily patient significantly period compared PRE (13.9 vs. 10.3 10.1, p < 0.001), with increases both blunt (p 0.001) penetrating 0.002) trauma. number examinations performed (56.7 48.3 47.6, significant (47 min 31 37, 0.001).After radiology following stay-at-home orders, coincided above pre-pandemic levels longer exam times.