Background
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the unplanned patient flow within hospitals is crucial for future preparedness planning and response strategies. We examined the impact of COVID-19 on the unplanned patient flow in a Danish healthcare region, with particular focus on emergency departments (EDs).
Methods
A descriptive multicentre cohort study was conducted comparing unplanned patient contacts during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (1 March 2020–28 February 2021) with the previous year (1 March 2019–29 February 2020). The study examined changes in patient flow and key flow variables—number of contacts, length of stay (LOS), triage, re-contacts, mortality, International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes, isolations and SARS-CoV-2-positive patients—and compared differences between five EDs in the Central Denmark Region.
Results
The overall number of unplanned patient contacts decreased 3.6% from the previous period (257 657) to the COVID-19 period (248 706). The decrease was lowest in EDs compared with other departments and was primarily detected during lockdowns, which were followed by months of increased ED contacts.
Although overall patient contacts decreased, an increase in proportions was observed in contacts with a LOS