Changes in Outpatient Health Care Use After COVID-19 Infection Among Veterans

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The impact of COVID-19 on outpatient healthcare utilization remains unclear, with limited comparative studies.
• Existing research often relies on population surveillance rather than direct cohort comparisons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare outpatient healthcare use across six categories between veterans with and without COVID-19 infection.
• To analyze changes in healthcare utilization in the peri-infection, intermediate, and long-term postinfection periods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of Veterans Affairs primary care patients.
• Matched cohorts of COVID-19 infected and uninfected veterans.
• Analysis of outpatient visits from January 2019 to December 2022 using VA and CMS data.

Main Results:

• Outpatient use, excluding surgical care, significantly increased in all categories during the peri-infection period for COVID-19 infected veterans.
• The overall increase in visits was 5.12 per 30 days, primarily driven by primary care.
• Increased utilization persisted up to 365 days post-infection, with telehealth comprising half of the additional visits.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 infection leads to a significant and sustained increase in outpatient healthcare utilization.
• These findings highlight the long-term health impacts and healthcare demands associated with COVID-19.
• The study underscores the need for continued monitoring and resource allocation for post-COVID-19 care.