- Anatolian Journal of Emergency Medicine
- Vol: 6 Issue: 1
- Do Really Urgent Cases Present to the Emergency Department: What a Pandemic Has Shown
Do Really Urgent Cases Present to the Emergency Department: What a Pandemic Has Shown
Authors : Seyran Bozkurt Babuş, Çağrı Safa Buyurgan, Ataman Köse, Akif Yarkaç, Gülhan Temel, Hakan Aytan
Pages : 25-31
Doi:10.54996/anatolianjem.1177098
View : 11 | Download : 3
Publication Date : 2023-03-08
Article Type : Research
Abstract :Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant health and social impacts globally. This study aimed to describe the variance in emergency department admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic and to reveal the profile of patients admitted to the emergency department (ED). Material and Methods: Data from patients in the ED between 11.03.2020-23.04.2020, which is a period of the pandemic, and 11.03.2019-23.04.2019, which is the non-pandemic period, was retrospectively analyzed. The frequency, demographic and clinical characteristics, and financial costs of patients admitted to the ED in those two periods were compared. Results: While the ratio of patients presenting to the emergency department was 69.6% in the non-pandemic period, it was calculated to be 30.4% in the pandemic period (p < 0.001). A higher admission rate was found in patients aged 18-24 years during the non-pandemic period and in patients aged 45-64 years and ≥ 65 years during the pandemic period (p<0.001). It was determined that the rate of patients transferred by ambulance (p<0.001), the rate of "very urgent” patient admission (p<0.001), and requirements for consultation (p<0.001) and laboratory tests were higher during the pandemic period (p<0.001). During the pandemic period, the rates of patients who needed hospitalization and admission to intensive care units (ICU) were higher (p<0.001). While the mortality rate was 0.7% in the non-pandemic period, this rate was 1.6% in the pandemic period (p<0.001). The total invoice amount was higher in patients who presented during the non-pandemic period, and the mean invoice amount was higher in patients who presented during the pandemic period (p < 0.001). Patients who presented during the pandemic period had a higher risk of being transferred to the emergency department by an ambulance (OR 9.947, CI 8.65–11.44), being in the very urgent triage category (OR 1.892, CI 1.712–2.09), in-hospital mortality (OR 2.263, CI 1.69–3.03), and the total invoice amount increased by 1.004 times for each unit increase. Conclusion: Although overall and non-urgent patient visits to the ED during the pandemic period were found to be decreased, "very urgent” patient visits, mortality, and costs per patient were found to be increased.Keywords : Acil servis, COVID-19 pandemisi, hasta özellikleri, maliyet