Yonsei Med J.
2023 Jul;64(7):463-470. 10.3349/ymj.2023.0014.
Changes in the Utilization of Health Care Services by Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Affiliations
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- 1Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- 2Interdisciplinary Program in Cancer Biology Major, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 3Integrated Major in Innovative Medical Science, Seoul National University Graduate School, Seoul, Korea
- 4Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 5Medical Research Center, Genomic Medicine Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 6Center for Palliative Care and Clinical Ethics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- 7Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- KMID: 2543906
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2023.0014
Abstract
- Purpose
The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea elicited changes in healthcare service utilization. This study aimed to report changes in healthcare service utilization among cancer patients during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea.
Materials and Methods
We analyzed records from National Health Insurance Service Database and identified cancer patients as those with specific beneficiary codes (“V193” or “V194”) assigned to cancer patients. We calculated percentage changes in the number of patients between 2019 and 2020 based on claims records for outpatient clinic visits, hospitalization, and emergency room visits by month, age group, residential areas, and hospital location.
Results
The number of newly diagnosed cancer patients in 2020 decreased by 3.2%, compared to the previous year. The number of patients who visited an outpatient clinic, were hospitalized, and visited the emergency room decreased by 2.6%, 4.0%, and 3.5%, respectively, in 2020, compared to the year 2019.
Conclusion
During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients decreased by 3.2%, compared to the previous year, and their utilization of healthcare services declined significantly after the outbreak of COVID-19.
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