New Study Finds COVID-19 Impact on Community Radiology Practices

Reston, VA (July 3, 2020) – The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly spread across all 50 United States. Associated recommendations that healthcare facilities defer non-urgent visits, tests, and procedures led many imaging facilities to temporarily substantially curtail most of their non-urgent services. This new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study, published online in the Journal of American College of Radiology, aimed to characterize the recent declines in non-invasive diagnostic imaging volumes at community practices. sss

“No community practice or geographically broader reports have yet emerged, nor have reports emerged that have considered the professional work relative value unit (wRVU) magnitude of these declines,” stated lead author Richard Duszak, MD, FACR, professor and vice chair for health policy and practice in the department of radiology and imaging sciences at Emory University and senior affiliate research fellow at the Neiman Institute. “Better knowledge about wRVU weighted declines focusing on sites of service, as well as modalities and body regions, could inform ongoing radiologist and technologist manpower, clinical coverage, and financial planning, as well as Medicare payment methodology.”

The researchers used aggregate imaging data from nine community radiology practices across the United States between January 2019 and May 2020, and mapped wRVUs to reported volumes of non-invasive diagnostic imaging services to calculate the total wRVU of services performed. Weekly 2020 vs. 2019 wRVU changes were analyzed by modality, body region, and site of service.

Aggregate weekly wRVUs ranged from a high of 120,450 (during February 2020) to a low of 55,188 (during April 2020). During that -52% wRVU nadir, outpatient declines of 66% were greatest. As a percentage of total all-practice wRVUs, 31% declines in CT and 30% radiography/fluoroscopy were greatest. By body region, 25% declines in abdomen/pelvis and 19% breast imaging were greatest. Mammography and abdominal/pelvic CT accounted for the largest shares of total all-practice wRVU reductions.

“Substantial COVID-19 related diagnostic imaging work declines were similar across the community practices and disproportionately impacted mammography – which experienced a 92% decrease in wRVUs performed,” stated co-author Danny R. Hughes, executive director of the Neiman Institute and Georgia Tech professor of economics. “In light of predictions of an upcoming potentially disastrous ‘second wave’ of Coronavirus disease, this information could prove actionable for radiology practice planning.”

To obtain a copy of the study or to arrange an interview with a Neiman Institute spokesperson, contact Nichole Gay at (703) 648-1665 or [email protected]. 

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About the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute

The Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute is one of the nation’s leading medical imaging socioeconomic research organizations. The Neiman Institute studies the role and value of radiology and radiologists in evolving health care delivery and payment systems and the impact of medical imaging on the cost, quality, safety and efficiency of health care. Visit us at www.neimanhpi.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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