Abstract:

The aim of this study is to compare the hospitalizations between the pandemic period and the pre-pandemic period and to determine the change in service usage. The research covers all hospitalizations in a training and research hospital during the pre-pandemic period (March 2019-February 2020) and the pandemic period (March 2020-February 2021). The research was conducted as a retrospective and descriptive study. All data on 60.726 patients included in the study in the relevant period were analyzed. During the pandemic period, there was a 36.61% decrease in hospitalization compared to the pre-pandemic period. While the month in which the number of hospitalizations decreased the most was May 2020 (51.78%), the month with the lowest decrease was August 2020 (16.45%). There was a decrease in hospitalizations in all areas except infectious diseases and palliative care in terms of the units where the patients were hospitalized. While hospitalizations increased by approximately 500% in the infectious diseases and clinical microbiology unit, it decreased by 50% in general surgery, 80% in thoracic surgery, and 67% in cardiology. Despite the decrease in the number of hospitalizations, the number of deaths has increased. While there was no significant change in the length of hospital stay, the amount of bill per patient increased by more than 72%. It is thought that the decrease in hospitalizations during the pandemic period may reflect negatively on service deficits and, accordingly, on patient outcomes in the future. In order to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic on routine patients, urgent measures should be taken by decision makers to address service gaps.

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