Abstract:

With the transition to the normalization process on June, 2020, it was decided to discharge the patients who completed the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment without waiting for polymerase chain reaction test negativity. In this study, it was planned to compare the patient profile, length of hospital stays and cost in one-month periods before and after the decision. Demographic data, co-morbidities, laboratory findings, treatment, prognosis and treatment costs of the patients who were followed up with a probable and definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 in the pandemic service in the one-month period before 15 June 2020 (first group) and after (second group) were compared. A total of 95 patients, 46 from the first group and 49 from the second group, were included in the study. The definitive case rate in the first group was 37%, while this rate was 59% in the second group (p=0.040). The median length of hospital stay of the first group was longer than the second group 10 (3-21) days’ vs 6 (3-12) days p=0.003) in patients who confirm the definitive case definition. The rate of typical tomography findings compatible with COVID-19 was higher in the patients in the second group (52% for second group and 26% for first group) (p=0.018). While the rate of treatment with hydroxychloroquine was higher in the first group than in the second group (72% for the first group and 41% for the second group) (p=0.004), the rate of treatment with favipiravir was higher in the second group (55% for the second group and 17% for the first group) (p=0.001). The median treatment cost was 2798 (661-45465) Turkish liras (TL) in the first group and 1627 (748-4496) TL in the second group (p=0.001). It is significant in terms of reducing hospital costs that patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 complete their post-treatment isolation period outside the hospital.

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