Thoracic Imaging Utilization on Super Bowl Sundays: A Retrospective Analysis From a Large Academic Medical Center

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Imaging
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Super Bowl Sundays (SBSs) are associated with social behavior shifts and health events.
• Understanding impacts on healthcare utilization is crucial for resource planning during major public events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate thoracic imaging patterns on SBSs within a healthcare network.
• To inform radiology staffing and resource allocation during major public events.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of thoracic imaging data from two tertiary-care campuses during SBSs (2022-2024) and control days (adjacent Sundays and Saturdays).
• Evaluation of entire days and TV prime time (17:00-22:59) for patient and exam volumes and turnaround times (TATs).
• Statistical analysis using Poisson and robust regression models, adjusting for year and time of day.

Main Results:

• Fewer patients and chest radiographs were performed on SBSs compared to control Sundays (P=0.019).
• During TV prime time on SBSs, radiograph volumes dropped significantly, with reduced TATs (37±12 vs 48±13 min; P=0.024).
• No significant differences in CT volumes or TATs were observed on SBSs compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Thoracic imaging utilization, particularly chest radiographs, decreased on SBSs due to fewer patient visits, especially during prime time.
• Shorter TATs were observed on SBSs, despite a trend toward more exams per patient.
• Findings suggest potential for optimized radiology staffing and resource management during major public events like SBSs.