The professional and personal impact of the coronavirus pandemic on US neurointerventional practices: a nationwide survey.
BACKGROUND
Little is currently known about the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on neurointerventional (NI) procedural volumes or its toll on physician wellness.


METHODS
A 37-question online survey was designed and distributed to physician members of three NI physician organizations.


RESULTS
A total of 151 individual survey responses were obtained. Reduced mechanical thrombectomy procedures compared with pre-pandemic were observed with 32% reporting a greater than 50% reduction in thrombectomy volumes. In concert with most (76%) reporting at least a 25% reduction in non-mechanical thrombectomy urgent NI procedures and a nearly unanimous (96%) cessation of non-urgent elective cases, 68% of physicians reported dramatic reductions (>50%) in overall NI procedural volume compared with pre-pandemic. Increased door-to-puncture times were reported by 79%. COVID-19-positive infections occurred in 1% of physician respondents: an additional 8% quarantined for suspected infection. Sixty-six percent of respondents reported increased career stress, 56% increased personal life/family stress, and 35% increased career burnout. Stress was significantly increased in physicians with COVID-positive family members (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study designed to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on NI physician practices, case volumes, compensation, personal/family stresses, and work-related burnout. Future studies examining these factors following the resumption of elective cases and relaxing of social distancing measures will be necessary to better understand these phenomena.
['Fargen|Kyle M|KM|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8979-1993', 'Leslie-Mazwi|Thabele M|TM|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4191-2466', 'Klucznik|Richard P|RP|', 'Wolfe|Stacey Q|SQ|', 'Brown|Patrick|P|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9100-2084', 'Ansari|Sameer A|SA|', 'Dabus|Guilherme|G|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1582-6035', 'Spiotta|Alejandro M|AM|', 'Mokin|Maxim|M|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4270-8667', 'Hassan|Ameer E|AE|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7148-7616', 'Liebeskind|David|D|', 'Welch|Babu G|BG|', 'Siddiqui|Adnan H|AH|', 'Hirsch|Joshua A|JA|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9594-8798']
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel D000086382:COVID-19 D018352:Coronavirus Infections D003695:Delivery of Health Care D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures D006801:Humans D008297:Male D009493:Neurosurgery D058873:Pandemics D010819:Physician's Role D011024:Pneumonia, Viral D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D014481:United States
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