Hollywood Diagnosticss Center has noticed that reports show that millions of Americans have postponed lifesaving screenings and other preventative care due to COVID-19.
Doctors performed 67% fewer mammograms and conducted almost 72% fewer colonoscopies, in March and April than in January and February, before the pandemic began. The study builds on other research, which has found steep drop-offs in everything from regular checkups to emergency room visits as well as Diagnosticss visits. And while the total number of doctor’s visits and screenings rebounded somewhat this summer and fall, they’re still not back to pre-pandemic levels in many areas.
What is the Future of Testing
Early this year, people’s fears of catching COVID-19 at doctors’ offices and hospitals was understandable. When the pandemic first came to the United States, public health officials still weren’t sure about how it spread.
But we’ve learned a lot since then. Today, it’s clear that foregoing care is counterproductive. Many Americans, especially those with chronic conditions, are growing sicker due to a lack of proper diagnosis and treatment.
Diagnosing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions early can make the difference between life and death. That’s why the drop in screenings is so unsettling.
Outpatient visits like CT scans, PET scans, X-rays, and ultrasound imaging declined nearly 60% between mid-February and early April of 2020. Breast exams and colorectal cancer screenings plummeted by nearly 90% in the first four months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
For many patients, these delays prove far more dangerous than COVID-19 itself. Dr. Therese Bevers, medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center, recently remarked: “I’ve seen women who tell me they found a lump [in their breast] in March, and when I’m seeing them [in July] it’s in the lymph nodes.”
Some Americans are so leery of COVID-19 that they’re even forgoing emergency care, with fatal consequences. In March and April, the total number of emergency room visits declined more than 40 percent compared to the same period last year. CDC officials cited a particularly notable drop in visits for chest pain and heart attack-related symptoms.
Skipping doctor’s visits also hurts patients who already know they’re sick. A majority of doctors’ appointments lead to either new prescriptions, prescription refills, or check-ins regarding a prescription.
This combination of unchecked chronic conditions and prescription nonadherence, all caused by delayed care, will strain the nation’s healthcare system long after COVID-19 subsides.
Fortunately, it’s not too late to soften the blow. Politicians and policy experts need to level with the public and explain that, yes, COVID-19 is dangerous — but so are cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Politicians, in particular, can pursue reforms making it easier and cheaper for people to visit the doctor and take their medications.
Hollywood Diagnosticss Center
If you are ready to venture out, and know that you need to book a CT or PET Scan at the best center in Hollywood, Florida then you have come to the right place! To book your scan today please contact our medical team here or call us at: (954) 966-3600. At Hollywood Diagnosticss Center we look forward to the opportunity to serve you in all your future medical imaging needs. Including Open MRI, High-field MRI, PET Scan, CT Scan, Mammography, Ultrasound, Echocardiogram, X-ray, EKG, Bone Density Scans and more!
