The role of facility and patient mix factors on recovery of screening and diagnostic mammography volumes following the initial COVID‐19 pandemic wave

Abstract

Introduction The goal of this study was to understand the extent to which mammography facilities were able to recover monthly screening and diagnostic mammography volumes to their prepandemic levels and to determine what facility and patient mix factors were associated with recovery. Method Facilities, located in and adjacent to Cook County, Illinois, were eligible. In all, 58 screening and 30 diagnostic mammogram facilities submitted mammogram volumes by month with a cross‐listing of patient ZIP codes by screening volumes. Monthly screening and diagnostic volumes for the 6‐month immediate postpandemic period (July–December 2020) and for the subsequent postpandemic period (January–June 2021) were compared with the same months in 2019. ZIP code distributions were used to define patient mix characteristics related to disadvantage. Results Compared with the prepandemic period, Breast Imaging Centers of Excellence conducted roughly 50 fewer monthly screening mammograms (95% CI: −91, −9) but 50 more diagnostic mammograms (95% CI: 24, 82) on average in the immediate postpandemic period. Facilities serving a predominantly Black population conducted roughly 50 fewer monthly screens (95% CI: −93, −13) without any increase in monthly diagnostics. Conclusion Highly accredited (and typically higher volume) facilities appeared to actively triage diagnostics, whereas lower resource facilities appeared to struggle to recover to prepandemic volumes without triage to diagnostics. The pandemic disproportionally impacted minority populations already affected by differential access to and utilization of high‐quality mammography. Potential explanations are discussed. Policies should be strengthened to facilitate triaging of services during times of stress to the healthcare system.