From normalcy to pandemic: analyzing cataract surgery patterns through case volumes and Google Trends (2014-2020)

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Cataract surgery is a common procedure for Medicare beneficiaries.
• Understanding patient engagement and healthcare dynamics is crucial for resource allocation.
• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare access and patient behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze cataract surgery rates in Medicare beneficiaries.
• To correlate these rates with Google Trends data.
• To understand patient engagement and healthcare dynamics pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2014-2020).

Main Methods:

• Collected Google Trends relative search volumes (RSV) for 9 cataract-related search terms.
• Utilized univariate linear regression to assess correlations between Google RSV and Medicare cataract surgery case volumes.
• Examined seasonal and pandemic-related trends in search data and surgical volumes.

Main Results:

• Found statistically significant positive correlations between search data and surgery volumes for 5 of 9 search terms.
• Observed higher search traffic during summer and fall.
• Noted consistent and increasing annual cataract surgery volumes from 2019 to 2020, despite a sharp decrease in search traffic during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Stable cataract surgery rates among Medicare beneficiaries during the pandemic highlight successful healthcare continuity.
• Google Trends serves as a valuable tool for gauging public interest and informing healthcare resource allocation.
• Despite decreased online patient engagement, essential healthcare services were maintained.