Abstract
Objective: We aimed to investigate the demographic shifts in emergency
service admissions, possible measures and room for improvement in
emergency services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methodology: Our study
retrospectively analyzed the demographic features and clinical admission
types of patients admitted to Batman District State Hospital Emergency
Service at two different time periods, one prior to the Covid-19
pandemic and the other during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results were
compared between the two periods designated as the pandemic period and
the pre-pandemic period. Results: The number of patients admitted to
emergency service was 47.681 in the pre-pandemic period and 9455 in the
pandemic period (p<0.01). The number of patients admitted for
trauma was 1247(2.61%) in the pre-pandemic period and 59(0.62%) in the
pandemic period (p<0.01). The number of patients hospitalized
to cardiology department or coronary care unit for acute coronary
syndrome was 602(1.26%) in the pre-pandemic period and 29(0.3%) in the
pandemic period (p<0.01). The number of patients hospitalized
to neurological intensive care unit for acute cerebrovascular disease
was 542(1.13%) in the pre-pandemic period and 22(0.2%) in the pandemic
period (p<0.01). The number of patients hospitalized to
pulmonary diseases department or intensive care unit for dyspnea was
622(1.21%) in the pre-pandemic period and 515 (5.4%) in the pandemic
period (p <0.01). Conclusion: Measures taken to prevent the
spread of Covid-19 infection have caused a significant drop in emergency
service admissions. We are of the opinion that this will lead to an
increase in deaths occurring at home, and we will soon encounter
patients with worse prognosis and overcrowded emergency services. In
order to prevent this problem, we believe that the public awareness
about emergency conditions requiring emergency service admission should
be heightened alongside of the ‘stay home’ calls.