A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED FROM THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate patients hospitalized from the emergency department before and during the pandemic. The research was designed as a retrospective study. All patients (32,544 patients) who came to the emergency department of a training and research hospital for a total duration of two years, consisting of one year before the pandemic and one year during the pandemic, and subsequently required admission, were included in the study. The study compared the monthly average number of admissions, age, gender, diagnosis, discharge status, and mortality rate variables of the patients included. There was a decrease in the number of patients during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. The rate of change (decrease) ranged from 12.6% to 34%. The decrease in the number of patients in the early months of the pandemic (March, April, May, June) exceeded 25%. The mean age, average length of stay and mortality rates of patients admitted from the emergency department increased during the pandemic, and this change was statistically significant (p