Author(s)
Matthew J. Urban MD
Alyssa Calder BS
Grant S. Owen BA
Inna Husain MD
Peter C. Revenaugh MD
Pete S. Batra MD
Affiliation(s)
Rush University Medical Center;
Abstract:
Educational Objective: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants should be able to understand the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on inpatient otolaryngology consultations in comparison to pre-COVID levels.
Objectives: COVID-19 changed the landscape of otolaryngology care. According to recent studies, inpatient otolaryngology consultations acutely decreased during COVID-19 surges. This study aims to examine the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on inpatient otolaryngology consultations.
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Methods: Inpatient otolaryngology consultations at an urban, academic medical center were reviewed over the course of 2 years (Jun 2019 - Jun 2021). The consults were categorized by time period based on local data for COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths as follows: pre-COVID (Jun 2019 - Feb 2020), surge 1 (Mar 2020 - May 2020), surge 2 (Oct 2020 - Jan 2021), and late phase (Mar 2021 - Jun 2021).
Results: 897 patients undergoing an inpatient otolaryngology consultation across all four time periods were included for analysis. The average consultations per day was 1.67 -¦ 0.24 in pre-COVID times, and dropped acutely to 0.86 -¦ 0.33 consults per day during surge 1. This consultation volume was not statistically different from pre-COVID levels during surge 2 (1.33 -¦ 0.35) and the late phase (1.60 -¦ 0.20). Reason for consultation and procedures performed did not vary significantly between pre-COVID times and the late phase, except that consultation for postoperative complaint was less frequent in the late phase (4.8% vs 1.0%, p =0.02). More patients had been screened with rapid antigen COVID testing in the late phase versus surge 1 (20.1% vs 7.6%, p = 0.04).
Conclusions: Inpatient otolaryngology consultation volumes, indications, and procedures performed returned to pre-COVID levels by the late phase of the pandemic after being significantly impacted during surge 1.