Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 3, 2025
Nasal Brushing Sampling and Processing Using Digital High Speed Ciliary Videomicroscopy – Adaptation for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published on: November 7, 2020
Examining patient flow in a tertiary hospital's emergency department at a low coronavirus prevalence region
Wen-Min Tseng1, Po-Hsiang Lin1, Pin-Chieh Wu2,3,4
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, No.386, Dazhong 1st Rd., Zuoying Dist, Kaohsiung City, 813414, Taiwan.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic reduced emergency department visits, particularly for non-urgent cases, in low-prevalence Taiwan. This shift improved patient flow and reduced wait times, offering insights for optimizing emergency care.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Taiwan's successful COVID-19 containment created a unique setting for studying emergency medical use.
- The study focuses on a tertiary hospital in southern Taiwan, a region with low COVID-19 prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department (ED) patient flow over one year.
- To analyze changes in ED attendance, visit acuity, length of stay, and return visit rates.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional observational study was conducted from January to December 2020.
- ED patient flow data from 2020 was compared to 2019 data.
- Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and t-tests/Mann-Whitney U tests.
Main Results:
- ED census declined by 30.8% early in 2020, with a 40.5% nadir in April.
- Overall ED attendance decreased by 20.3% during 2020 (p < 0.001).
- Significant reductions were observed in ambulatory, lower-urgency, and pediatric visits; length of stay shortened, especially in adult divisions; 72-hour unscheduled return visits decreased.
Conclusions:
- In low-prevalence regions, the pandemic reshaped emergency medical care, leading to improved ED patient flow.
- The findings suggest potential strategies for mitigating emergency department overcrowding.
Background:
Taiwan's successful containment of the COVID-19 outbreak prior to 2021 provided a unique environment for the surveillance of unnecessary emergency medical use. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the patient flow in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital over 1 year in southern Taiwan, a region with low COVID-19 prevalence.
Methods:
Cross-sectional observational study was conducted from January to December 2020. Essential parameters of patient flow in the ED between January and February 2020 and the subsequent 11-month period were compared to data from 2019. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, using an independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, as applicable.
Results:
The ED census showed an acute decline (- 30.8%) from January to February 2020, reaching its nadir (- 40.5%) in April 2020. From February to December 2020, there was an average decrease of 20.3% in ED attendance (p < 0.001). The impact was most significant in ambulatory visits, lower-urgency acuity (level III) visits, and pediatric visits, without change in the acuity proportion. The length of stay shortened mainly in the adult division, which typically had an overcrowding problem (median, 5.7-4.4 hours in discharge; 24.8-16.9 hours in hospitalization; p < 0.001). The incidence of 72-hour unscheduled return visits was also reduced (4.1-3.5%, p = 0.002).
Conclusions:
In contrast to devastated regions, the impact on the ED patient flow in regions having low COVID-19 prevalence highlights a remodeling process of emergency medical care that would improve overcrowding.
More Related Videos
10:38Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
09:52Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
Related Concept Videos
01:25Interpreting Run Charts
01:21Tertiary Healthcare System
01:17Flow Sheet
Here's a closer look at the examples of flowsheets commonly used by nurses:
Graphic Sheet Documentation:
01:28Hospitals-I
00:59Hospitals-II
Nurses that work in...
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...