Hospital Visit Recovery Remains Flat While Popularity of Telehealth Services Grows

Rhea-AI Summary

TransUnion Healthcare reports that emergency department visits are down 26% from pre-COVID-19 levels, indicating a shift in patient behavior. As of late October 2020, inpatient volumes decreased by 9%, while outpatient visits have stabilized. The company highlights a growing preference for telehealth, with 33% of patients utilizing it in the past year, primarily due to the pandemic. Moreover, 67% of telehealth users plan to continue these services post-vaccine. The report suggests ongoing care deferrals may lead to increased healthcare costs for high-acuity patients.

Positive

• 33% of patients utilized telehealth services in the past year, indicating strong market demand.
• 67% of recent telehealth patients are likely to continue post-vaccine, showcasing potential for sustained revenue.
• TransUnion Healthcare helps recover over $1.2 billion annually for healthcare providers, demonstrating effective revenue protection.

Negative

• Emergency department visits are down 26% compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, indicating reduced healthcare utilization.
• Inpatient volumes decreased by 9%, raising concerns about patient health outcomes and potential long-term costs.

New TransUnion Healthcare report finds emergency department visits remain well below pre-COVID-19 volumes

CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hospital visit volumes have stayed consistent through late October after plateauing in July, though levels may shift depending on the impact of rising COVID-19 cases nationwide. As hospital visit volumes remain stagnant for the time being, new TransUnion Healthcare (NYSE: TRU) research validates that alternative healthcare settings such as telehealth services are growing in popularity.

TransUnion Healthcare’s updated analysis of 500+ hospitals across the United States revealed emergency department visits were down 26% compared to pre-COVID-19 volumes* – only one-basis point lower than emergency department volumes 10 weeks prior. Inpatient volumes were down 9% below pre-COVID-19 volumes during the week of October 25-31, which is also one-basis point lower than the level recorded in mid-August. Outpatient visits have largely remained around pre-COVID-19 levels.

“Our latest analysis shows hospital visits have flattened, creating a new baseline for volumes that providers will likely continue to experience across treatment settings,” said David Wojczynski, President of TransUnion Healthcare. “The ongoing analysis, paired with new consumer research, point to the likelihood that patients are instead seeking care in alternative settings such as telehealth, or deferring non-COVID-19 related care to avoid COVID-19 transmission. However, with new stay-at-home orders going into effect and elective procedures delayed, we may see volumes fluctuate once again from this newly established baseline.”

There are a number of factors likely contributing to these sustained, lower emergency department volumes such as the continued, dramatic reduction in visits from children and patients with lower-acuity diagnoses (including cough and ear pain), the use of alternative care settings and ongoing care deferrals.

As care deferrals continue, a concern is that patients – especially high-acuity and chronically ill patients – may experience worsening or additional health complications, potentially increasing healthcare costs. At the same time, patients are increasingly utilizing alternative care settings, which are often more effective and efficient care delivery options for non-emergent medical concerns that can lead to reduced healthcare costs for all stakeholders.

Patient preferences indicate telehealth services likely here to stay

A recent TransUnion Healthcare report revealed that one-third (33%) of patients utilized telehealth in the last year, and of those patients, six in 10 (59%) did so because of the pandemic. To better understand the growing trend of telehealth use, in November 2020, TransUnion Healthcare conducted a follow-up survey of 1,375 people who had used telehealth services in the last 12 months.

The majority of telehealth patients surveyed said they used virtual health services in place of visiting their primary care physician office (60%), and an additional 8% of respondents utilized telehealth instead of visiting the emergency department.

Adoption of Telehealth Services Continues to Grow During COVID-19 Pandemic

Topic	% of Respondents
Percent of patients that used telehealth instead of visiting their primary care physician office	60	%
Percent of patients that used telehealth without considering an in-person healthcare setting	14	%
Percent of patients that used telehealth instead of visiting an urgent care facility	11	%
Percent of patients that used telehealth instead of visiting the emergency department	8	%
Percent of patients that would be at least somewhat likely to continue utilizing telehealth once a COVID-19 vaccine is available and distributed	67	%
Percent of patients that shared the quality of care they received via telehealth was the same as or better than in-person medical care	71	%

Further, the industry can expect patients to continue using telehealth services even once there is a COVID-19 vaccine available and widely distributed. Over two-thirds (67%) of recent telehealth patients stated they are at least somewhat likely to continue utilizing telehealth services after a COVID-19 vaccine is made available. What’s more, 77% expressed satisfaction with their most recent telehealth visit.

“As COVID-19 fears persist, it’s evident that telehealth services are here to stay,” said Jonathan Wiik, principal of healthcare strategy at TransUnion Healthcare. “Once we get through the on-going waves of COVID cases, we do anticipate some normalization to occur in the future in terms of inpatient, outpatient and emergency department patient visits, though the convenience of telehealth makes this treatment setting a viable option for many people.”

For more information on the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare industry, as well as additional resources from TransUnion Healthcare, visit transunion.com/healthcare-covid-19.

*TransUnion Healthcare defines pre-COVID-19 volumes as the average weekly visits measured during the first 8 full weeks of the year, from the weeks of January 5-11 through February 23-29.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.®

TransUnion Healthcare, a wholly owned subsidiary of TransUnion, makes mutual trust possible between patients, providers, and payers by helping them navigate payment uncertainty. Our Revenue Protection^® solutions leverage comprehensive data, accurate insights and industry expertise to engage patients early, ensure earned revenue gets paid and optimize payment strategies. TransUnion Healthcare helps over 1,850 hospitals and 550,000 physicians collectively recover more than $1.2 billion annually in revenue.

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

http://www.transunionhealthcare.com

Contact	Dave Blumberg TransUnion
E-mail	david.blumberg@transunion.com
Telephone	312-972-6646

FAQ

What is the current status of emergency department visits according to TransUnion Healthcare?

Emergency department visits are currently down 26% from pre-COVID-19 levels.

How has telehealth usage changed during the pandemic?

33% of patients have used telehealth services in the past year, largely due to COVID-19.

What percentage of telehealth users plan to continue using these services post-vaccine?

67% of telehealth users plan to continue using these services once a COVID-19 vaccine is available.

What are the implications of ongoing care deferrals identified in the report?

Ongoing care deferrals may lead to worsening health conditions for high-acuity patients and increased healthcare costs.

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on inpatient volumes according to the report?

Inpatient volumes have decreased by 9% compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.