• Tong Lei Liu, Ai Li Yeo, Ayngaran Ravi, Ganga Patabendige, Teik Wen Lim, Sally Bell, Eric Morand, and Suong Le.
• School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• Intern Med J. 2021 Oct 1; 51 (10): 1614-1618.

BackgroundPathology and imaging tests are frequently requested in the outpatient setting despite historically poor completion rates. The impact of COVID-19 telehealth on test completion rates is unknown.AimsTo examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and telehealth transition on pathology and imaging test request and completion rates in Australian outpatient clinics.MethodsWe performed a prospective cohort study with historical controls between March-May 2019 and March-May 2020. Pathology and imaging request and completion rates were collected in review consultation patients attending gastroenterology and rheumatology outpatient clinics at a tertiary healthcare system prior and during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne.ResultsA total of 1376 patients was included in the study. Pathology tests were requested more frequently in the COVID-19 group (n = 582/684, 85.2%) than the control group (n = 492/692, 71.1%, P < 0.001), but completion rates were lower in the COVID-19 group (n = 443/582, 76.1%) than the control group (n = 426/492 (86.6%), P < 0.001). Imaging tests were requested more frequently in the COVID-19 group (n = 345/682, 50.6%) than the control group (n = 295/692, 42.6%, P = 0.003), with lower rates of completion in the COVID-19 group (n = 229/345, 66.4%) than the control group (n = 247/295, 83.7%, P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic and telehealth transition have resulted in more frequent pathology and imaging requests but fewer test completion in the outpatients setting. This study has identified new clinical risks associated with the abrupt transition to telehealth during COVID-19 that should be explored in future studies and appropriately mitigated.© 2021 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

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