摘要
Objective:To investigate the changes in elective private urological procedures in Australia during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.Methods:Data were extracted from publicly available datasets from Medicare Ben efits Schedule using item nu mbers assig ned to each comm only performed urological interve ntion.These procedures were divided into three groups:Oncological therapeutic,diagnostic,and non-oncological therapeutic procedures.A smoothing model,based on the historic procedure numbers from 2017 to 2019,was used to forecast monthly number of procedures performed in each category between January 2020 and June 2020.These forecasted models were compared with reported figures.Results:A total of 108169 procedures were performed between January 2020 and June 2020 based on the Medicare Ben efits Schedule item nu mbers listed.There was a sign ifica nt reducti on(perce nt-age cha nge)in total procedures performed in April 2020(22.6%,95%con fide nee in terval[CI]:-28.7%to-15.4%)and May 2020(-33.2%,95%CI:-37.5%to 28.3%).There was a significant reduction in oncological therapeutic,non-oncological therapeutic,and diagnostic procedures performed in April 2020 and May 2020(p<0.05).These nu mbers did not in elude procedures performed in public sector.Conclusion:There was a significant reduction in total urological procedures(including diagnostic,oncological,and non-on cological)performed in mon ths of April 2020 and May 2020 during time of federal restrictions.Both public and private healthcare sectors need to be supported in the up-comi ng mon ths to preve nt further delays in treatme nt and poorer clinical outcomes.
