A Cohort Study of Lt. Col. Luke J. Weathers VA Medical Center Patients with Positive FIT and Incomplete GI Evaluation during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract

Objectives: The reasons for and incidence of delay in screening colonoscopies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are of major public health interest. The risks and reasons for delay likely vary between public and private institutions. This research sought to analyze data regarding the completion of screening colonoscopies after a positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the reasons for a delay in obtaining these results at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The goals were to evaluate the institutional resilience and analyze the problems associated with this major healthcare crisis.

Methods: This closed cohort study included all positive FITs from our local Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center from October 2019 to January 2020 and July 2020 to May 2021. A total of 115 VA patients with a positive FIT prepandemic and 157 VA patients with a positive FIT during the pandemic were included. Completion rates within 180 days were measured, and charts were reviewed to identify the reasons for lack of completion. Both community and local VA procedures for veterans were included. Univariate and multivariable analyses were applied to calculate odds ratios (ORs). The Pearson χ² test was applied to calculate P values.

Results: VA patients' percentage of timely completion was lower pre-COVID-19 than it was during the pandemic, and the percentage of delayed completion was higher pre-COVID-19 than it was during the pandemic. Comparing patients who completed a colonoscopy with those who did not, increasing age had an OR of 0.947 (95% CI 0.920-0.975), and White race had an OR of 0.504 (95% CI 0.291-0.873). Evaluating delays in colonoscopy completion, VA colonoscopies versus referral to the community had an OR of 4.472 (95% CI 1.602-12.483), and pre-COVID-19 completion versus during COVID-19 had an OR of 4.663 (95% CI 1.727-12.594) with multivariable logistic regression.

Conclusions: There was a statistically significant increase in timely colonoscopy completion during the study period when compared with the pre-COVID-19 period. The completion rate was higher at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center than a large population average in 2020, possibly related to community colonoscopies and an aggressive case management system. In addition, increasing age and White race were associated with decreased colonoscopy completion. Predictors of an increased delay in colonoscopy completion included a pre-COVID-19 positive FIT and colonoscopies performed within the VA rather than being referred to providers in the community. A common reason for delay in all of the groups was patients declining intervention and delay/lack of referral.