Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

A seven week observational analysis of clinical activities in a North Italian orthopaedic hospital during the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: far from usual volumes, but different from the first wave.

PURPOSE: We previously described the radical changes occurred in an orthopaedic hospital in Milan (Italy) during the first SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outbreak. Currently, during the second wave, the situation is still far from normality. Here we describe the changes that took place, and are still ongoing, in the clinical practice.

METHODS: Number and type of admissions, outpatients activity, ER and urgent procedures in SARS-CoV-2 negative and positive patients have been analyzed over seven weeks (October 26th-December 13th, 2020) and compared with the correspondent period in 2019 and the same timeframe during the first wave (February 24th-April 10th).

RESULTS: 2019 vs. 2020: Overall admissions decreased by 39.8%; however, while admissions for elective surgery dropped by 42.0%, urgent surgeries increased by 117.0%. Rehabilitation admissions declined by 85.2%. White and green priority ER consultations declined by 41.6% and 52.0%, respectively; yellow and red increased by 766.7% and 400.0%, respectively. Second vs. first wave: Overall admissions increased by 58.6% with a smoother decrement in weekly admissions than during the first wave. Disparity of acute admissions vs. rehabilitation expanded: Acute cases increased by 63.6% while rehabilitation cases decreased by 8.7%. Admissions to triage procedures increased by 72.3%.

CONCLUSIONS: Activity levels are far from normality during the second COVID-19 wave. Elective surgery and outpatients-related activities are still strongly limited compared to 2019 while the number of urgent cases treated increased consistently. SARS-CoV-2 positive emergencies are slightly higher than during the first wave. These important changes are expected to impact on health service and hospital budget for long.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app