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Assessment of Referrals and Hospitalizations in the Hospital Transformed into COVID-19 Facility in Poland during the “Spring Wave” of the Epidemic in 2020—A Cross-Sectional Study

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  • Agnieszka Kasiukiewicz

    (Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior in Bialystok, 15-471 Bialystok, Poland
    Department of Geriatrics, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-471 Bialystok, Poland)

  • Zyta Beata Wojszel

    (Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior in Bialystok, 15-471 Bialystok, Poland
    Department of Geriatrics, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-471 Bialystok, Poland)

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate hospitalizations in a COVID-dedicated facility during the “spring wave” of the epidemic in 2020 in Poland and analyze changes in access to hospital treatment in the country in the early phase of the pandemic. We investigated all referrals and admissions to the Ministry of Interior and Administration hospital in Białystok from 14 April to 14 August 2020. A total of 238 patients were referred to the hospital (with a median age of 64.5 years; IQR, 44–78), most commonly with fever ( n = 151; 63.5%). Only 135 (56.7%) were admitted (5.5% of the number hospitalized in the same period in 2019). SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed in 42 (17.7%) cases. Older people with concomitant diseases and disabilities dominated. Seventeen patients (12.6%) required ICU treatment, and 19 (14%) died. Based on the National Health Fund data, we also examined changes in the rate of hospitalizations in Poland and in selected Polish COVID/ and non-COVID hospitals between February and August 2019 and 2020. The number of hospitalizations in Poland decreased dramatically in comparison to 2019. A very low hospitalization rate, significantly lower than in structurally similar non-COVID hospitals, was observed in transformed hospitals. Better use of hospital resources was observed when the hospital was semi-transformed and had the flexibility to adapt to epidemiological needs. The study seems to confirm that the system of transformed COVID hospitals resulted in unused healthcare resources and limited patient access to medical services in the early period of the epidemic. As a consequence, systemic modifications allowing the maximization and adequate use of the Polish healthcare system’s limited resources have been implemented.

Suggested Citation

  • Agnieszka Kasiukiewicz & Zyta Beata Wojszel, 2021. "Assessment of Referrals and Hospitalizations in the Hospital Transformed into COVID-19 Facility in Poland during the “Spring Wave” of the Epidemic in 2020—A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-13, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:13:p:7143-:d:588060
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Enrique Casalino & Christophe Choquet & Donia Bouzid & Olivier Peyrony & Sonja Curac & Eric Revue & Jean-Paul Fontaine & Patrick Plaisance & Anthony Chauvin & Daniel Aiham Ghazali, 2020. "Analysis of Emergency Department Visits and Hospital Activity during Influenza Season, COVID-19 Epidemic, and Lockdown Periods in View of Managing a Future Disaster Risk: A Multicenter Observational S," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Michał Ochal & Małgorzata Romaszko & Katarzyna Glińska-Lewczuk & Leszek Gromadziński & Jerzy Romaszko, 2020. "Assessment of the Consultation Rate with General Practitioners in the Initial Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-9, October.
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