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February 26, 2021

CT hospitals among hardest hit by pandemic declines in patient volume

PHOTO | Janine Gelineau, UConn Health UConn Health's Outpatient Pavilion. Patient volume at the state's hospitals dropped by 44.4% in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
By Liese Klein

Connecticut hospitals saw a 44.4% plunge in patient volume in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.
 
The data, reported by Becker’s from an analysis by consultant Hospital Pricing Specialists, showed that hospitals nationwide saw volume drop an average of 35.2% in the second quarter of 2020. 

The company reviewed volume data on 68 current procedural terminology codes on the CMS-mandated list of shoppable services in an effort to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Northeastern states saw the steepest declines, with Massachusetts reporting a 48.5% drop, the worst in the nation. New York reported a 42.2% decline in patient volume.

Hospital Pricing Specialists also released a report this week that details two financial scenarios for hospitals impacted by COVID: An “optimistic” estimate of $53 billion in losses nationwide vs. a “pessimistic” scenario of $122 billion in losses.

“If consumers return to pre-pandemic behaviors the optimistic scenario would apply,” the report stated. “However, if consumers adapt to a ‘new normal’ of slower or only partial recovery of patient volumes, the pessimistic scenario would apply.”

“Whether it’s a $53 (billion) or $122 billion loss, hospitals are forced to sharpen their pencils and optimize their delivery services to be the most cost effective without affecting quality,” the report said.

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