Table 3.
Changes in Institutional Capacity, Practices, and Staffing That Were Implemented in March 2020 and April 2020 During the COVID-19 Pandemic
| U.S. Regions |
Worldwide |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest (n = 28) | Northeast (n = 43) | South (n = 57) | West (n = 27) | p Value | U.S. (n = 155) | Non-U.S. (n = 754) | p Value | |
| Change in capacity | ||||||||
| Some outpatient activities cancelled | 27 (96) | 42 (98) | 50 (88) | 26 (96) | 0.217 | 145 (94) | 678 (91) | 0.246 |
| All outpatient activities cancelled | 15 (54) | 27 (66) | 31 (54) | 16 (59) | 0.662 | 89 (58) | 432 (58) | 0.991 |
| Phased re-opening after peak pandemic | 26 (93) | 42 (98) | 53 (93) | 26 (96) | 0.759 | 147 (95) | 663 (89) | 0.027∗ |
| Extended hours | 13 (46) | 20 (47) | 25 (44) | 9 (33) | 0.707 | 67 (43) | 321 (43) | 0.943 |
| New weekend hours | 8 (29) | 17 (40) | 15 (27) | 8 (30) | 0.568 | 48 (31) | 227 (31) | 0.872 |
| Increased use of telehealth for patient care | 26 (93) | 38 (88) | 51 (89) | 24 (92) | 0.945 | 139 (90) | 481 (65) | <0.001∗ |
| Increased time per study for cleaning/disinfection | 21 (75) | 42 (98) | 48 (84) | 21 (78) | 0.014∗ | 132 (85) | 643 (86) | 0.824 |
| Eliminate protocols requiring close contact | 23 (82) | 36 (84) | 42 (75) | 24 (89) | 0.498 | 125 (81) | 570 (76) | 0.191 |
| Change in practice | ||||||||
| Physical distancing | 28 (100) | 43 (100) | 55 (98) | 25 (93) | 0.150 | 151 (98) | 720 (96) | 0.294 |
| Separate spaces for patients with COVID-19 | 25 (93) | 31 (74) | 49 (89) | 23 (92) | 0.098 | 128 (86) | 685 (92) | 0.016∗ |
| Reduced waiting room time | 26 (93) | 39 (93) | 50 (89) | 26 (96) | 0.849 | 141 (92) | 687 (92) | 0.897 |
| Limit visitors | 28 (100) | 43 (100) | 54 (96) | 27 (100) | 0.663 | 152 (99) | 731 (98) | 0.469 |
| Temperature checks | 24 (89) | 37 (86) | 50 (89) | 22 (81) | 0.770 | 133 (87) | 579 (77) | 0.008∗ |
| Symptom screening | 28 (100) | 42 (98) | 51 (94) | 27 (100) | 0.523 | 148 (97) | 640 (86) | <0.001∗ |
| COVID-19 testing | 14 (50) | 21 (49) | 23 (40) | 13 (48) | 0.777 | 71 (46) | 194 (26) | <0.001∗ |
| Require masks | 27 (96) | 43 (100) | 54 (95) | 26 (96) | 0.478 | 150 (97) | 606 (81) | <0.001∗ |
| Change in staffing | ||||||||
| Furlough non-physician imaging staff | 13 (50) | 10 (26) | 19 (34) | 10 (36) | 0.176 | 52 (35) | 162 (22) | 0.001∗ |
| Furlough imaging physicians | 1 (4) | 5 (13) | 8 (14) | 5 (18) | 0.404 | 19 (13) | 152 (21) | 0.025∗ |
| Reduce salaries of non-physician imaging staff | 9 (35) | 7 (17) | 15 (26) | 8 (29) | 0.330 | 39 (26) | 185 (25) | 0.810 |
| Reduce salaries of imaging physicians | 12 (48) | 10 (24) | 17 (30) | 9 (32) | 0.278 | 48 (32) | 188 (25) | 0.101 |
| Laid off non-physician imaging staff | 3 (11) | 2 (5) | 12 (21) | 1 (4) | 0.049∗ | 18 (12) | 65 (9) | 0.229 |
| Laid off imaging physicians | 0 (0) | 3 (7) | 2 (4) | 2 (7) | 0.487 | 7 (5) | 39 (5) | 0.739 |
Values are n (%). Figures reflect the proportion of laboratories with planned or implemented changes.
U.S. = United States.
∗
Indicates significant p values.