Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital emergency departments: results of a survey of departments in 2020-the Spanish ENCOVUR study
Por:
Alquezar-Arbe, A, Pinera, P, Jacob, J, Martin, A, Jimenez, S, Llorens, P, Martin-Sanchez, FJ, Burillo-Putze, G, Garcia-Lamberechts, EJ, del Castillo, JG, Rizzi, M, Villa, TA, Haro, A, Diaz, NM, Miro, O
Publicada:
1 oct 2020
Resumen:
Objective. To estimate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the organization of Spanish hospital emergency departments (EDs). To explore differences between Spanish autonomous communities or according to hospital size and disease incidence in the area.
Methods. Survey of the heads of 283 EDs in hospitals belonging to or affiliated with Spain's public health service. Respondents evaluated the pandemic's impact on organization, resources, and staff absence from work in March and April 2020. Assessments were for 15-day periods. Results were analyzed overall and by autonomous community, hospital size, and local population incidence rates.
Results. A total of 246 (87%) responses were received. The majority of the EDs organized a triage system, first aid, and observation wards; areas specifically for patients suspected of having COVID-19 were newly set apart. The nursing staff was increased in 83% of the EDs (with no subgroup differences), and 59% increased the number of physicians (especially in large hospitals and locations where the COVID-19 incidence was high). Diagnostic tests for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 were the resource the EDs missed most: 55% reported that tests were scarce often or very often. Other resources reported to be scarce were FPP2 and FPP3 masks (38% of the EDs), waterproof protective gowns (34%), and space (32%). More than 5% of the physicians, nurses, or other emergency staff were on sick leave 20%, 19%, and 16% of the time. These deficiencies were greatest during the last half of March, except for tests, which were most scarce in the first 15 days. Large hospital EDs less often reported that diagnostic tests were unavailable. In areas where the COVID-19 incidence was higher, the EDs reported higher rates of staff on sick leave. Resource scarcity differed markedly by autonomous community and was not always associated with the incidence of COVID-19 in the population.
Conclusions. The COVID-19 pandemic led to organizational changes in EDs. Certain resources became scarce, and marked differences between autonomous communities were detected.
Filiaciones:
Alquezar-Arbe, A:
Hosp Santa Creu & Sant Pau, Serv Urgencias, Carrer St Quinti 87, Barcelona 08041, Spain
Pinera, P:
Hosp Gen Univ Reina Sofia, Serv Urgencias, Murcia, Spain
Jacob, J:
Hosp Univ Bellvitge, Serv Urgencias, Barcelona, Spain
Martin, A:
Hosp Univ Severo Ochoa, Serv Urgencias, Madrid, Spain
Jimenez, S:
Univ Barcelona, Hosp Clin, Serv Urgencias, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
Llorens, P:
Univ Miguel Hernandez, Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Serv Urgencias, Inst Invest Sanitaria & Biomed Alicante ISABIAL, Alicante, Spain
Martin-Sanchez, FJ:
Univ Complutense, Hosp Clin San Carlos, Serv Urgencias, Madrid, Spain
Burillo-Putze, G:
Hosp Univ Canarias, Serv Urgencias, Tenerife, Spain
Garcia-Lamberechts, EJ:
Univ Complutense, Hosp Clin San Carlos, Serv Urgencias, Madrid, Spain
del Castillo, JG:
Univ Complutense, Hosp Clin San Carlos, Serv Urgencias, Madrid, Spain
Rizzi, M:
Hosp Santa Creu & Sant Pau, Serv Urgencias, Carrer St Quinti 87, Barcelona 08041, Spain
Villa, TA:
Hosp Univ Severo Ochoa, Serv Urgencias, Madrid, Spain
Haro, A:
Hosp Univ Bellvitge, Serv Urgencias, Barcelona, Spain
Diaz, NM:
Hosp Gen Univ Reina Sofia, Serv Urgencias, Murcia, Spain
Miro, O:
Univ Barcelona, Hosp Clin, Serv Urgencias, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
|