EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON URGENT MEDICAL ACCESS FOR PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AT A PRIVATE COMMUNITY GASTROENTEROLOGY PRACTICE

Abstract

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are subject to frequent emergency department (ED) visits. In order to decrease unnecessary ED utilization, we established an urgent care hotline (IBD URGENT) at a private community gastroenterology practice to triage pressing concerns from our patients with IBD. However, at the beginning of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Mar 2020, in-person visits were converted to telehealth visits, which could have adversly impacted patient care.