How the Workload and Outcome of Imaging Examinations Changed During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown.
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
COVID-19
Emergency Service, Hospital
/ statistics & numerical data
Female
Hospitals, Community
Humans
Italy
Male
Middle Aged
Quarantine
Radiography
/ statistics & numerical data
Radiology Department, Hospital
/ statistics & numerical data
Retrospective Studies
Workload
/ statistics & numerical data
Journal
Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis
ISSN: 2531-6745
Titre abrégé: Acta Biomed
Pays: Italy
ID NLM: 101295064
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 11 2020
10 11 2020
Historique:
received:
07
09
2020
accepted:
26
10
2020
entrez:
2
2
2021
pubmed:
3
2
2021
medline:
9
3
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
On March 9th, 2020, the Italian government decided to go into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to changes in the workflow of radiological examinations. Aim of the study is to illustrate how the workload and outcome of radiological exams changed in a community hospital during the pandemic. The exams performed in the radiology department from March 9th to March 29th, 2020 were retrospectively reviewed and compared to the exams conducted during the same time-period in 2019. Only exams coming from the emergency department (ED) were included. Two radiologists defined the cases as positive or negative findings, based on independent blind readings of the imaging studies. Categorical measurements are presented as frequency and percentages, and p-values are calculated using the Chi-squared test. There was a significant reduction in the amount of exams performed in 2020: there were 143 (93|65% male, 60.7±21.5 years) patients who underwent radiological examinations from the ED vs. 485 (255|53% male, 51.2±24.8 years) in 2019. Furthermore, the total number of ED exams dropped from 699 (2019) to 215 (2020). However, the percentage of patients with a positive result was significantly higher in 2020 (69|48%) compared to 2019 (151|31%) (p<.001). The reduction of emergency radiological examinations might be a result of the movement restrictions enforced during the lockdown, and possible fear of the hospital as a contagious place. This translated to a relative increase of positive cases as only patients with very serious conditions were accessing the ED.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
On March 9th, 2020, the Italian government decided to go into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to changes in the workflow of radiological examinations.
AIMS
Aim of the study is to illustrate how the workload and outcome of radiological exams changed in a community hospital during the pandemic.
METHODS AND MATERIAL
The exams performed in the radiology department from March 9th to March 29th, 2020 were retrospectively reviewed and compared to the exams conducted during the same time-period in 2019. Only exams coming from the emergency department (ED) were included. Two radiologists defined the cases as positive or negative findings, based on independent blind readings of the imaging studies. Categorical measurements are presented as frequency and percentages, and p-values are calculated using the Chi-squared test.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
There was a significant reduction in the amount of exams performed in 2020: there were 143 (93|65% male, 60.7±21.5 years) patients who underwent radiological examinations from the ED vs. 485 (255|53% male, 51.2±24.8 years) in 2019. Furthermore, the total number of ED exams dropped from 699 (2019) to 215 (2020). However, the percentage of patients with a positive result was significantly higher in 2020 (69|48%) compared to 2019 (151|31%) (p<.001). The reduction of emergency radiological examinations might be a result of the movement restrictions enforced during the lockdown, and possible fear of the hospital as a contagious place. This translated to a relative increase of positive cases as only patients with very serious conditions were accessing the ED.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33525213
doi: 10.23750/abm.v91i4.10604
pmc: PMC7927480
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
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