Trends in Pediatric Ambulatory Practice during COVID-19 Lockdown

Area of Science:

• Pediatric primary care
• Public health policy
• Infectious disease epidemiology

Background:

• The Israeli Health Ministry implemented lockdown measures on March 18, 2020, to curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• This study examines the impact of these public health interventions on healthcare delivery and disease trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between COVID-19 lockdown orders and telemedicine adoption in pediatric primary care.
• To assess the influence of social distancing on infectious disease incidence, emergency department (ED) referrals, and hospitalization rates.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of pediatric center visits from January 1 to May 31, 2020, compared with 2019 data.
• Visits were categorized by mode (telemedicine vs. in-person) and outcomes (ED referral, hospitalization).
• Month-to-month and year-over-year changes in visit volume and type were analyzed.

Main Results:

• During the initial lockdown, in-person pediatric visits decreased by 24%, while telemedicine consultations surged by 76%.
• Following lockdown easing, in-person visits saw a 50% rebound.
• A significant reduction in visits for common infectious diseases, overall visits, ED referrals, and hospitalizations was observed in 2020 compared to 2019.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted pediatric primary care, decreasing patient-doctor interactions and overall healthcare utilization.
• Lockdowns led to a substantial reduction in ED referrals and hospitalizations, alongside a shift towards telemedicine services.