The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on revisits to emergency department

Abstract

Aim

This study presents the impact of COVID-19 on revisits to the emergency department comparing revisit rates and characteristics between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods.

Methods

This multi-center retrospective study included patients over 18 years of age who visited emergency departments during the pre-COVID-19 period and the COVID-19 pandemic. The revisit rates were analyzed according to five age groups; 18–34, 35–49, 50–64, 65–79, and ≥ 80 years, and three revisit time intervals; 3, 9, and 30 days. Also, we compared the diagnosis and disposition at revisit between the study periods.

Results

The revisit rates increased with age in both study periods and the revisit rates among all age groups were higher in the COVID-19 period. The proportion of infectious and respiratory diseases decreased during the COVID-19 period. The ICU admission rate and mortality at the revisit among patients aged ≥ 80 years were lower in the COVID-19 period than in the pre-COVID-19 period.

Conclusion

The revisit rates increased with age in both study periods and there were several changes in the diagnosis and disposition at the revisit in the COVID-19 period.