Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Pediatrics

.: ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Characteristics of Emergency Department Visits in a Tertiary Care Children's Hospital in Türkiye: Descriptive Study
COVID-19 Pandemisinin Türkiye'de Üçüncü Basamak Bir Çocuk Hastanesinde Acil Servis Ziyaret Özelliklerine Etkisi: Tanımlayıcı Çalışma
Nihan ŞIKa, Zeynep ÖLMEZb, Durgül YILMAZa, Murat DUMANa
aDivision of Pediatric Emergency Care, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Türkiye
bDepartment of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Türkiye
Turkiye Klinikleri J Pediatr. 2022;31(2):85-92
doi: 10.5336/pediatr.2021-86998
Article Language: EN
Full Text
ABSTRACT
 Objective: To reveal how the coronavirus disease- 2019 pandemic has affected the characteristics of patient visits by comparing profiles in a pediatric emergency department (ED). Material and Methods: The period between March 11, 2020, and June 1, 2020, and the same timeframe in 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. For each day, the total number of ED visits was calculated. Patient gender, age, time of ED visit, triage priority, arrival characteristics, diagnostic codes, and hospital admissions for each day's visits were recorded and the proportion was calculated for each parameter. Results: During the study period, ED visits declined by 80.8% in comparison to the previous year. In terms of diagnoses, in 2020, there was a decrease in the mean daily number and proportion of patients diagnosed with infectious diseases (p<0.05). In terms of traumatic injuries, there was a decrease in the number of visits in 2020, but the overall rate had increased, being 14.7% in 2019 and 18.4% in 2020. There was a decrease in the rate of visitors with green codes (p<0.001), but there was an increase in yellow codes (p<0.001) and no difference in red codes (p= 0.980). The proportion of hospitalizations also increased while the total number declined (p<0.05). Conclusion: During the pandemic period, our pediatric ED experienced a significantly decreased volume of visitors presenting with low-acuity conditions. Understanding the frequency and distribution of ED visits can help shape public health preparedness policies such as healthcare planning to ensure the availability of resources.

Keywords: Child; COVID-19; emergency medicine; visit
ÖZET
 Amaç: Bu çalışmada, koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 pandemisinin çocuk acil servise başvuru özellikleri üzerindeki etkisinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlandı. Gereç ve Yöntemler: 11 Mart-1 Haziran 2020 tarihleri ile 2019 yılına ait aynı zaman periyodu incelendi. Her güne ait toplam acil servis başvuru sayısı hesaplandı. Hastaların cinsiyeti, yaşı, başvuru zamanı, triaj kategorisi, hastaneye ulaşım çeşidi, tanı kodları ile hastane yatışlarının sayısı ve toplam sayıya oranı kaydedildi. Bulgular: Çalışma süresi boyunca acil servis başvuru sayılarında bir önceki yıla göre %80,8 azalma saptandı. Hastaların tanıları değerlendirildiğinde, 2020 yılında enfeksiyöz hastalıklarda günlük ortalama hasta sayı ve oranlarında anlamlı azalma mevcuttu (p<0,05). Travmatik yaralanmalar açısından 2020 yılında başvuru sayısında azalma mevcuttu ancak genel oran artmıştı; 2019 yılında %14,7 olup, 2020 yılında ise %18,4 olarak hesaplandı. Yeşil triaj kodlu çocuk oranında düşüş saptanırken (p<0,001), sarı triaj kodlu hasta sayısında artış oldu (p<0,001); ancak kırmızı kodlu hasta sayısında fark yoktu (p= 0,980). Hastaneye yatırılan hasta sayısında, bir önceki yıla göre azalma saptandı; ancak hastaneye yatış oranlarında artış mevcuttu (p<0,05). Sonuç: Pandemi sürecinde, 1 yıl önceki döneme göre aciliyeti olmayan vaka ziyaretlerinde azalma saptandı. Acil servis başvurularının sıklığı ve dağılımının anlaşılması, kaynak kullanımı gibi halk sağlığı hizmet politikalarının yönlendirilmesine katkı sağlayabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Çocuk; COVID-19; acil tıp; ziyaret
REFERENCES:
  1. Rotulo GA, Percivale B, Molteni M, Naim A, Brisca G, Piccotti E, et al. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on infectious diseases epidemiology: The experience of a tertiary Italian Pediatric Emergency Department. Am J Emerg Med. 2021;43:115-7. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  2. Wu F, Zhao S, Yu B, Chen YM, Wang W, Song ZG, et al. A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China. Nature. 2020;579(7798):265-9. Erratum in: Nature. 2020;580(7803):E7. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  3. Atalla E, Kalligeros M, Giampaolo G, Mylona EK, Shehadeh F, Mylonakis E. Readmissions among patients with COVID-19. Int J Clin Pract. 2021;75(3):e13700. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  4. Cao H, Ruan L, Liu J, Liao W. The clinical characteristic of eight patients of COVID-19 with positive RT-PCR test after discharge. J Med Virol. 2020;92(10):2159-64. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  5. Raucci U, Musolino AM, Di Lallo D, Piga S, Barbieri MA, Pisani M, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emergency department of a tertiary children's hospital. Ital J Pediatr. 2021;47(1):21. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  6. Giannouchos TV, Biskupiak J, Moss MJ, Brixner D, Andreyeva E, Ukert B. Trends in outpatient emergency department visits during the COVID-19 pandemic at a large, urban, academic hospital system. Am J Emerg Med. 2021;40:20-6. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  7. Çıkrıkçı Işık G, Çevik Y. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on visits of an urban emergency department. Am J Emerg Med. 2021;42:78-82. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  8. Carret ML, Fassa AC, Domingues MR. Inappropriate use of emergency services: a systematic review of prevalence and associated factors. Cad Saude Publica. 2009;25(1):7-28. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  9. Wong LE, Hawkins JE, Langness S, Murrell KL, Iris P, Sammann A. Where are all the patients? Addressing Covid-19 fear to encourage sick patients to seek emergency care. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery. 2020. [Link] 
  10. Somani SS, Richter F, Fuster V, De Freitas JK, Naik N, Sigel K; Mount Sinai COVID Informatics Center, Bottinger EP, Levin MA, Fayad Z, Just AC, Charney AW, Zhao S, et al. Characterization of patients who return to hospital following discharge from hospitalization for COVID-19. J Gen Intern Med. 2020;35(10):2838-44. [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  11. Yeo I, Cheung JW, Feldman DN, Amin N, Chae J, Wong SC, et al. Assessment of hospital readmission rates, risk factors, and causes after cardiac arrest: analysis of the US nationwide readmissions database. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(9):e1912208. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  12. Uyaroğlu OA, Başaran NÇ, Özişik L, Dizman GT, Eroğlu İ, Şahin TK, et al. Thirty-day readmission rate of COVID-19 patients discharged from a tertiary care university hospital in Turkey: an observational, single-center study. Int J Qual Health Care. 2021;33(1):mzaa144. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  13. Bjørnsen LP, Næss-Pleym LE, Dale J, Laugsand LE. Patient visits to an emergency department in anticipation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2020;140(8). English, Norwegian. [PubMed] 
  14. Boserup B, McKenney M, Elkbuli A. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department visits and patient safety in the United States. Am J Emerg Med. 2020;38(9):1732-6. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  15. Liguoro I, Pilotto C, Vergine M, Pusiol A, Vidal E, Cogo P. The impact of COVID-19 on a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. Eur J Pediatr. 2021;180(5):1497-504. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  16. Kuitunen I, Artama M, Mäkelä L, Backman K, Heiskanen-Kosma T, Renko M. Effect of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of viral respiratory tract infections in children in Finland during early 2020. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2020;39(12):e423-7. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  17. Bres Bullrich M, Fridman S, Mandzia JL, Mai LM, Khaw A, Vargas Gonzalez JC, et al. COVID-19: stroke admissions, emergency department visits, and prevention clinic referrals. Can J Neurol Sci. 2020;47(5):693-6. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  18. Morello F, Bima P, Ferreri E, Chiarlo M, Balzaretti P, Tirabassi G, et al. After the first wave and beyond lockdown: long-lasting changes in emergency department visit number, characteristics, diagnoses, and hospital admissions. Intern Emerg Med. 2021;16(6):1683-90. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  19. Lazzerini M, Barbi E, Apicella A, Marchetti F, Cardinale F, Trobia G. Delayed access or provision of care in Italy resulting from fear of COVID-19. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4(5):e10-1. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  20. Angoulvant F, Ouldali N, Yang DD, Filser M, Gajdos V, Rybak A, et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: impact caused by school closure and national lockdown on pediatric visits and admissions for viral and nonviral infections-a time series analysis. Clin Infect Dis. 2021;72(2):319-22. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  21. Sidpra J, Abomeli D, Hameed B, Baker J, Mankad K. Rise in the incidence of abusive head trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Arch Dis Child. 2021;106(3):e14. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  22. Nia A, Popp D, Diendorfer C, Apprich S, Munteanu A, Hajdu S, et al. Impact of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic on number of patients and patterns of injuries at a level I trauma center. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2021;133(7-8):336-43. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  23. Jang KM, Ahn JY, Choi HJ, Lee S, Kim D, Lee DW, et al. Pediatric emergency department utilization and coronavirus disease in Daegu, Korea. J Korean Med Sci. 2021;36(1):e11. Erratum in: J Korean Med Sci. 2021;36(3):e32. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  24. Paek SH, Kim DK, Lee JH, Kwak YH. The impact of Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak on trends in emergency department utilization patterns. J Korean Med Sci. 2017;32(10):1576-80. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 

.: Up To Date

.: Process List

Login

 Forgot your password?

 New Registration  

Contact

Ortadoğu Reklam Tanıtım Yayıncılık Turizm Eğitim İnşaat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.

.: Address

Turkocagi Caddesi No:30 06520 Balgat / ANKARA
Phone: +90 312 286 56 56
Fax: +90 312 220 04 70
E-mail: info@turkiyeklinikleri.com

.: Manuscript Editing Department

Phone: +90 312 286 56 56/ 2
E-mail: yaziisleri@turkiyeklinikleri.com

.: English Language Redaction

Phone: +90 312 286 56 56/ 145
E-mail: tkyayindestek@turkiyeklinikleri.com

.: Marketing Sales-Project Department

Phone: +90 312 286 56 56/ 142
E-mail: reklam@turkiyeklinikleri.com

.: Subscription and Public Relations Department

Phone: +90 312 286 56 56/ 118
E-mail: abone@turkiyeklinikleri.com

.: Customer Services

Phone: +90 312 286 56 56/ 118
E-mail: satisdestek@turkiyeklinikleri.com

1. TERMS OF USE

1.1. To use the web pages with http://www.turkiyeklinikleri.com domain name or the websites reached through the sub domain names attached to the domain name (They will be collectively referred as "SITE"), please read the conditions below. If you do not accept these terms, please cease to use the "SITE." "SITE" owner reserves the right to change the information on the website, forms, contents, the "SITE," "SITE" terms of use anytime they want.

1.2. The owner of the "SITE" is Ortadoğu Advertisement Presentation Publishing Tourism Education Architecture Industry and Trade Inc. (From now on it is going to be referred as "Turkiye Klinikleri", shortly) and it resides at Turkocagi cad. No:30, 06520 Balgat Ankara. The services in the "SITE" are provided by "Turkiye Klinikleri."

1.3. Anyone accessing the "SITE" with or without a fee whether they are a natural person or a legal identity is considered to agree these terms of use. In this contract hereby, "Turkiye Klinikleri" may change the stated terms anytime. These changes will be published in the "SITE" periodically and they will be valid when they are published. Any natural person or legal identity benefiting from and reaching to the "SITE" are considered to be agreed to any change on hereby contract terms done by "Turkiye Klinikleri."

1.4. The "Terms of Use" hereby is published in the website with the last change on March 30th 2014 and the "SITE" is activated by enabling the access to everyone. The "Terms of Use" hereby is also a part of the any "USER Contract" was and/or will be done with the users using "Turkiye Klinikleri" services with or without a fee an inseparable.

2. DEFINITIONS

2.1. "SITE": A website offering different kind of services and context with a certain frame determined by "Turkiye Klinikleri" and it is accessible on-line on http://www.turkiyeklinikleri.com domain name and/or subdomains connected to the domain name.

2.2. USER: A natural person or a legal identity accessing to the "SITE" through online settings.

2.3. LINK: A link enabling to access to another website through the "SITE", the files, the context or through another website to the "SITE", the files and the context.

2.4. CONTEXT: Any visual, literary and auditory images published in the "Turkiye Klinikleri", "SITE" and/or any website or any accessible information, file, picture, number/figures, price, etc.

2.5. "USER CONTRACT": An electronically signed contract between a natural or a legal identity benefiting from special services "Turkiye Klinikleri" will provide and "Turkiye Klinikleri".

3. SCOPE OF THE SERVICES

3.1. "Turkiye Klinikleri" is completely free to determine the scope and quality of the services via the "SITE".

3.2. To benefit the services of "Turkiye Klinikleri" "SITE", the "USER" must deliver the features that will be specified by "Turkiye Klinikleri". "Turkiye Klinikleri" may change this necessity any time single-sided.

3.3. Not for a limited number, the services "Turkiye Klinikleri" will provide through the "SITE" for a certain price or for free are;

- Providing scientific articles, books and informative publications for health industry.

- Providing structural, statistical and editorial support to article preparation stage for scientific journals.

4. GENERAL PROVISIONS

4.1. "Turkiye Klinikleri" is completely free to determine which of the services and contents provided in the "SITE" will be charged.

4.2. People benefiting from the services provided by "Turkiye Klinikleri" and using the website can use the "SITE" only according to the law and only for personal reasons. Users have the criminal and civil liability for every process and action they take in the "SITE". Every USER agrees, declares and undertakes that they will not proceed by any function or action infringement of rights of "Turkiye Klinikleri"s and/or other third parties', they are the exclusive right holder on usage, processing, storage, made public and revealing any written, visual or auditory information reported to Turkiye Klinikleri" and/or "SITE" to the third parties. "USER" agrees and undertakes that s/he will not duplicate, copy, distribute, process, the pictures, text, visual and auditory images, video clips, files, databases, catalogs and lists within the "SITE", s/he will not be using these actions or with other ways to compete with "Turkiye Klinikleri", directly or indirectly.

4.3. The services provided and the context published within the "SITE" by third parties is not under the responsibility of "Turkiye Klinikleri", institutions collaborated with "Turkiye Klinikleri", "Turkiye Klinikleri" employee and directors, "Turkiye Klinikleri" authorized salespeople. Commitment to accuracy and legality of the published information, context, visual and auditory images provided by any third party are under the full responsibility of the third party. "Turkiye Klinikleri" does not promise and guarantee the safety, accuracy and legality of the services and context provided by a third party.

4.4. "USER"s cannot act against "Turkiye Klinikleri", other "USER"s and third parties by using the "SITE". "Turkiye Klinikleri" has no direct and/or indirect responsibility for any damage a third party suffered or will suffer regarding "USER"s actions on the "SITE" against the rules of the hereby "Terms of Use" and the law.

4.5. "USER"s accept and undertake that the information and context they provided to the "SITE" are accurate and legal. "Turkiye Klinikleri" is not liable and responsible for promising and guaranteeing the verification of the information and context transmitted to "Turkiye Klinikleri" by the "USER"s, or uploaded, changed and provided through the "SITE" by them and whether these information are safe, accurate and legal.

4.6. "USER"s agree and undertake that they will not perform any action leading to unfair competition, weakening the personal and commercial credit of "Turkiye Klinikleri" and a third party,  encroaching and attacking on personal rights within the "SITE" in accordance with the Turkish Commercial Code Law.

4.7. "Turkiye Klinikleri" reserves the right to change the services and the context within the "SITE"  anytime. "Turkiye Klinikleri" may use this right without any notification and timelessly. "USER"s have to make the changes and/or corrections "Turkiye Klinikleri" required immediately. Any changes and/or corrections that are required by "Turkiye Klinikleri", may be made by "Turkiye Klinikleri" when needed. Any harm, criminal and civil liability resulted or will result from changes and/or corrections required by "Turkiye Klinikleri" and were not made on time by the "USER"s belongs completely to the users.

4.8. "Turkiye Klinikleri" may give links through the "SITE" to other websites and/or "CONTEXT"s and/or folders that are outside of their control and owned and run by third parties. These links are provided for ease of reference only and do not hold qualification for support the respective web SITE or the admin or declaration or guarantee for the information inside. "Turkiye Klinikleri" does not hold any responsibility over the web-sites connected through the links on the "SITE", folders and context, the services or products on the websites provided through these links or their context.

4.9. "Turkiye Klinikleri" may use the information provided to them by the "USERS" through the "SITE" in line with the terms of the "PRIVACY POLICY" and "USER CONTRACT". It may process the information or classify and save them on a database. "Turkiye Klinikleri" may also use the USER's or visitor's identity, address, e-mail address, phone number, IP number, which sections of the "SITE" they visited, domain type, browser type, date and time information to provide statistical evaluation and customized services.

5. PROPRIETARY RIGHTS

5.1. The information accessed through this "SITE" or provided by the users legally and all the elements (including but not limited to design, text, image, html code and other codes) of the "SITE" (all of them will be called as studies tied to "Turkiye Klinikleri"s copyrights) belongs to "Turkiye Klinikleri". Users do not have the right to resell, process, share, distribute, display or give someone permission to access or to use the "Turkiye Klinikleri" services, "Turkiye Klinikleri" information and the products under copyright protection by "Turkiye Klinikleri". Within hereby "Terms of Use" unless explicitly permitted by "Turkiye Klinikleri" nobody can reproduce, process, distribute or produce or prepare any study from those under "Turkiye Klinikleri" copyright protection.

5.2. Within hereby "Terms of Use", "Turkiye Klinikleri" reserves the rights for "Turkiye Klinikleri" services, "Turkiye Klinikleri" information, the products associated with "Turkiye Klinikleri" copyrights, "Turkiye Klinikleri" trademarks, "Turkiye Klinikleri" trade looks or its all rights for other entity and information it has through this website unless it is explicitly authorized by "Turkiye Klinikleri".

6. CHANGES IN THE TERMS OF USE

"Turkiye Klinikleri" in its sole discretion may change the hereby "Terms of Use" anytime announcing within the "SITE". The changed terms of the hereby "Terms of Use" will become valid when they are announced. Hereby "Terms of Use" cannot be changed by unilateral declarations of users.

7. FORCE MAJEURE

"Turkiye Klinikleri" is not responsible for executing late or never of this hereby "Terms of Use", privacy policy and "USER Contract" in any situation legally taken into account as force majeure. Being late or failure of performance or non-defaulting of this and similar cases like this will not be the case from the viewpoint of "Turkiye Klinikleri", and "Turkiye Klinikleri" will not have any damage liability for these situations. "Force majeure" term will be regarded as outside of the concerned party's reasonable control and any situation that "Turkiye Klinikleri" cannot prevent even though it shows due diligence. Also, force majeure situations include but not limited to natural disasters, rebellion, war, strike, communication problems, infrastructure and internet failure, power cut and bad weather conditions.

8. LAW AND AUTHORISATION TO FOLLOW

Turkish Law will be applied in practicing, interpreting the hereby "Terms of Use" and managing the emerging legal relationships within this "Terms of Use" in case of finding element of foreignness, except for the rules of Turkish conflict of laws. Ankara Courts and Enforcement Offices are entitled in any controversy happened or may happen due to hereby contract.

9. CLOSING AND AGREEMENT

Hereby "Terms of Use" come into force when announced in the "SITE" by "Turkiye Klinikleri". The users are regarded to agree to hereby contract terms by using the "SITE". "Turkiye Klinikleri" may change the contract terms and the changes will be come into force by specifying the version number and the date of change on time it is published in the "SITE".

 

30.03.2014

Privacy Policy

We recommend you to read the terms of use below before you visit our website. In case you agree these terms, following our rules will be to your favor. Please read our Terms of Use thoroughly.

www.turkiyeklinikleri.com website belongs to Ortadoğu Advertisement Presentation Publishing Tourism Education Architecture Industry and Trade Inc. and is designed in order to inform physicians in the field of health

www.turkiyeklinikleri.com cannot reach to user’s identity, address, service providers or other information. The users may send this information to the website through forms if they would like to. However, www.turkiyeklinikleri.com may collect your hardware and software information. The information consists of your IP address, browser type, operating system, domain name, access time, and related websites. www.turkiyeklinikleri.com cannot sell the provided user information (your name, e-mail address, home and work address, phone number) to the third parties, publish it publicly, or keep it in the website. Gathered information has a directing feature to be a source for the website’s visitor profile, reporting and promotion of the services.

www.turkiyeklinikleri.com uses the taken information:

-To enhance, improve and maintain the quality of the website

-To generate visitor’s profile and statistical data

-To determine the tendency of the visitors on using our website

-To send print publications/correspondences

-To send press releases or notifications through e-mail

-To generate a list for an event or competition

By using www.turkiyeklinikleri.com you are considered to agree that;

-Ortadoğu Advertisement Presentation Publishing Tourism Education Architecture Industry and Trade Inc. cannot be hold responsible for any user’s illegal and immoral behavior,

-Terms of use may change from time to time,

-It is not responsible for other websites’ contents it cannot control or the harms they may cause although it uses the connection they provided.

Ortadoğu Advertisement Presentation Publishing Tourism Education Architecture Industry and Trade Inc. may block the website to users in the following events:

-Information with wrong, incomplete, deceiving or immoral expressions is recorded to the website,

-Proclamation, advertisement, announcement, libelous expressions are used against natural person or legal identity,

-During various attacks to the website,

-Disruption of the website because of a virus.

Written, visual and audible materials of the website, including the code and the software are under protection by legal legislation.

Without the written consent of Ortadoğu Advertisement Presentation Publishing Tourism Education Architecture Industry and Trade Inc. the information on the website cannot be downloaded, changed, reproduced, copied, republished, posted or distributed.

All rights of the software and the design of the website belong to Ortadoğu Advertisement Presentation Publishing Tourism Education Architecture Industry and Trade Inc.

Ortadoğu Advertisement Presentation Publishing Tourism Education Architecture Industry and Trade Inc. will be pleased to hear your comments about our terms of use. Please share the subjects you think may enrich our website or if there is any problem regarding our website.

info@turkiyeklinikleri.com