Abstract:

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the ortopedic clinic, to investigate the number of patients, the changes in patients’ complaints and the demographic characteristics. Tools and Methods: Patients who apply to the ortopedic clinic in our hospital have been evaluated for four periods. The period between 1 March and May 2019; the period between 2 June and August 2019; the period between 3 March and May 2020; and the period between 4 June and August 2020. The age, gender, number and International Classification of Diseases of Patients Applicated for Comparative Analysis in each Period. Revision codes are recorded. Results: A total of 7,120 patients applying to the ortopedic clinic in four periods were included in the study. The lowest number of clinical applications (1.119) was observed in the three months following the announcement of pandemic in March 2020 (period 3) while the highest number (2.149) was observed in the three months following the removal of restrictions in June 2020 (period 4). There was no significant difference in patient age between the four periods (p=0,945). However, there was a difference between periods for patients aged 65 and over. The reasons for applying to the clinic were different between the periods. In the 3rd period, applications for traumatic causes were statistically higher than the other three periods (p<0,001, p=0,003, p<0,001). The result: the number of patients arriving at the ortopedic clinic increased after the restrictions were removed. The clinical system should be organized in such a way that contamination should be prevented and patients can be treated effectively.