COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts Volume of Evaluation & Management (E&M) Telehealth Visits within Community Oncology Practices
Author(s)
Karhade M1, Mohammad N2, Robert N3, Wu N4, Heller B5, Alwardt S6, Neubauer M6, Smith H6, Moore L7
1Ontada, Houston, TX, USA, 2Ontada, Cypress, TX, USA, 3Ontada, Irving, TX, USA, 4US Oncology Network, The Woodlands, TX, USA, 5Southern Cancer Center, Mobile, AL, USA, 6Ontada, The Woodlands, TX, USA, 7Ontada, Shaker Heights, OH, USA
Presentation Documents
OBJECTIVES: The USA declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency on 03/13/20. On 03/17/20, CMS expanded telehealth rules, allowing Medicare to cover telehealth visits like regular visits. This study aims to analyze the utilization of Evaluation & Management (E&M) telehealth options in community oncology pre and post pandemic. METHODS: Deidentified patient visits data were obtained from iKnowMed electronic health records between 01/01/18 to 05/24/2021 from 20 US Oncology practices. A combination of patient MRN and date was used as an identifier to report number of visits for all measures. Patient visits with modifiers –GT, –95, and –GQ were classified as telehealth visits. Visit dates without modifiers were defined as non-telehealth (in-office) visits. E&M visits were defined based on standard CPT codes. RESULTS: A total of 5,914,125 unique E&M patient visits were analyzed during the study period. Between Jan-2018 and Mar-2020 (pre-COVID-19), E&M visits rose from 30,000/week to 36,000/week (20%). Fewer than 0.01% of these visits were telehealth. By April 12, 2020, overall E&M visits had dropped 35%, but the telehealth visits had risen to 16%. Since then, the overall E&M visit count remained approximately 5% lower as compared to the pre-COVID-19 trend, and telehealth visits averaged approximately 6% thereafter. Corresponding to the 2nd wave, in Dec-2020 the telehealth proportion rose again to 10%. As of 05/23/2021, telehealth E&M visits represented approximately 5% of the total E&M visits within US Oncology practices. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a timeline of how COVID-19 has impacted E&M visits and telehealth utilization among community oncology practices. The pandemic has led to an increase in E&M telehealth visits that may remain post pandemic. Continued research is necessary to monitor telehealth utilization and its impact on the quality of care, provider finances, and future of community oncology considering rising vaccination rates, CDC guidance, and public sentiment.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2021-11, ISPOR Europe 2021, Copenhagen, Denmark
Value in Health, Volume 24, Issue 12, S2 (December 2021)
Acceptance Code
P22
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Topic Subcategory
Telemedicine
Disease
Infectious Disease (non-vaccine), Oncology