26 May 2021 Visits for appendicitis and miscarriage dropped during the pandemic, but that didn't translate into worse outcomes for patients. (Image credit: Shutterstock) During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have avoided emergency room visits, but this isn't always a bad thing, a new study suggests. The study, published Tuesday (May 25) in the appendicitis and miscarriage dropped markedly during the pandemic, but that didn't translate into worse outcomes for patients. The authors say their findings suggest that people may have been overusing the ER before the pandemic, seeking hospital care for symptoms that could have been managed with telemedicine or outpatient treatment. But during the pandemic, those who really did need hospital care still received it.