IJERPH, Vol. 18, Pages 7143: 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, Vol. 18, Pages 7143: 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 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph18137143 Authors: Agnieszka Kasiukiewicz Zyta Beata Wojszel 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-Cov2 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 rat...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research