From the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (Miller, Smith, Swanson), University of Washington, Seattle.
The Division of Neuropathology (Gonzalez-Cuyar), University of Washington, Seattle.
Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2021 Apr 1;145(4):399-406. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2020-0639-SA.
CONTEXT.—: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has resulted in worldwide disruption to the delivery of patient care. The Seattle, Washington metropolitan area was one of the first in the United States affected by the pandemic. As a result, the anatomic pathology services at the University of Washington experienced significant changes in operational volumes early in the pandemic.
OBJECTIVE.—: To assess the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 and both state and institutional policies implemented to mitigate viral transmission (including institutional policies on nonurgent procedures) on anatomic pathology volumes.
DESIGN.—: Accessioned specimens from January to June 2020 were evaluated as coronavirus disease 2019 and institutional policies changed. The data were considered in these contexts: subspecialty, billable Current Procedural Terminology codes, and intraoperative consultation. Comparable data were retrieved from 2019 as a historical control.
RESULTS.—: There was a significant reduction in overall accessioned volume (up to 79%) from prepandemic levels during bans on nonurgent procedures when compared with 2020 pre-coronavirus disease 2019 volumes and historical controls. The gastrointestinal and dermatopathology services were most impacted, and breast and combined head and neck/pulmonary services were least impacted. Current Procedural Terminology code 88305, for smaller/biopsy specimens, had a 63% reduction during nonurgent procedure bans. After all bans on procedures were lifted, the overall volume plateaued at 89% of prepandemic levels.
CONCLUSIONS.—: A significant decrease in specimen volume was most strongly associated with bans on nonurgent procedures. Although all departmental areas had a decrease in volume, the extent of change varied across subspecialty and specimen types. Even with removal of all bans, service volume did not reach prepandemic levels.
由新型冠状病毒严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2 引起的 2019 年冠状病毒病大流行导致全球范围内患者护理服务中断。华盛顿州西雅图大都市区是美国首批受该大流行影响的地区之一。因此，华盛顿大学的解剖病理学服务在大流行早期经历了运营量的显著变化。
评估 2019 年冠状病毒病以及为减轻病毒传播而实施的州和机构政策（包括关于非紧急程序的机构政策）对解剖病理学量的影响。
评估 2020 年 1 月至 6 月期间 2019 年冠状病毒病和机构政策变更时的入组标本。在这些上下文中考虑数据：亚专业、计费当前程序术语代码和术中咨询。从 2019 年检索到可比数据作为历史对照。
与 2020 年非 2019 年冠状病毒病前水平和历史对照相比，在禁止非紧急程序时，整体入组量（高达 79%）与大流行前水平相比显著减少。胃肠道和皮肤病学服务受到的影响最大，而乳房和联合头颈部/肺部服务受到的影响最小。88305 号当前程序术语代码，用于较小/活检标本，在非紧急程序禁令期间减少了 63%。在所有程序禁令解除后，总体量稳定在大流行前水平的 89%。
标本量的显著减少与禁止非紧急程序密切相关。尽管所有部门都减少了量，但变化的程度因亚专业和标本类型而异。即使所有禁令都已解除，服务量仍未达到大流行前的水平。
