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KMID : 0385920220330010060
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Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2022 Volume.33 No. 1 p.60 ~ p.68
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Analysis of patient clinical characteristics visiting single regional emergency department in COVID-19 pandemic era: a before-and-after observational study
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Choi Jin-Gook
Jung Hae-Won
Ahn Jae-Yun
Ryoo Hyun-Wook
Moon Sung-Bae
Cho Jae-Wan
Seo Kang-Suk
Park Jung-Bae
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Abstract
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Objective: This study aimed at analyzing the clinical characteristics of patients visiting the emergency department (ED) and pre-triage clinic during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic era in Daegu, South Korea.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study by using the medical records of patients who visited the ED and pre-triage clinic from February 22 to March 31, 2020 and comparing them with the corresponding period in 2019.
Results: The number of patients visiting the ED per day decreased from 122 (115-138) to 77 (66-93). The percentage of patients with respiratory infection increased from 6.6% to 15.4% (P<0.001). The length of the ED stay increased from 269 (150-562) to 559 (293-941) minutes, especially in patients with fever (P<0.001). The rate of injured and less urgent patients decreased from 24.7 to 13.2 and 53.4% to 50.2%, respectively (P<0.001). Sixty-one-point nine percent of patients visiting the ED were triaged and discharged at the pre-triage clinic without entering the ED.
Conclusion: In the COVID-19 pandemic era, there was an increase in the proportion of patients with fever and respiratory symptoms and a decrease in the proportion of injured patients. At the pre-triage clinic, a significant number of patients with suspected COVID-19 or less urgent conditions were treated and discharged without their having to enter the ED.
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KEYWORD
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Triage, COVID-19, Emergency department
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