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Facing the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Can We Allocate Outpatient Doctor Resources More Effectively?
Xiaojing Hu1, Hongjun Fang1, Ping Wang1
1Medical Affairs Department, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic reduced outpatient numbers by 33.36% across hospital departments. Some departments saw increased patient numbers, and reservation rates varied, highlighting differential impacts for resource allocation.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Epidemiology
- Hospital Administration
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted global healthcare systems.
- Previous research on COVID-19's outpatient impact was limited to specific departments.
- A comprehensive analysis across multiple hospital departments is needed for effective resource management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the varied impact of COVID-19 on outpatient numbers across different hospital departments.
- To analyze patient reservation rates as an indicator of departmental impact.
- To provide data-driven insights for hospital managers to optimize outpatient doctor resource allocation during the pandemic.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of outpatient numbers for 24 departments in a Beijing general hospital between 2019 and 2020.
- Examination of monthly departmental patient reservation rates as a novel indicator.
- Statistical comparison of departmental outpatient volumes and reservation trends.
Main Results:
- Overall outpatient numbers decreased by 33.36% in 2020 compared to 2019.
- Ten departments experienced outpatient decreases exceeding 33.36%, while two departments saw an increase.
- The overall patient reservation rate in 2020 was 82.22% of the 2019 rate, with 14 departments falling below this benchmark.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19's impact on hospital outpatient services varied significantly across departments.
- Well-known departments and those focused on tumor treatment appeared less affected, with some even experiencing patient number increases.
- Patient reservation rates are a valuable metric for understanding departmental impact; dynamic management strategies are recommended for resource allocation.
Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant damage to global healthcare systems. Previous studies regarding COVID-19’s impact on outpatient numbers focused only on a specific department, lacking research data for multiple departments in general hospitals. We assessed differences in COVID-19’s impact on outpatient numbers for different departments to help hospital managers allocate outpatient doctor resources more effectively during the pandemic. We compared the outpatient numbers of 24 departments in a general hospital in Beijing in 2019 and 2020. We also examined an indicator not mentioned in previous studies, monthly departmental patient reservation rates. The results show that, compared with 2019, 2020 outpatient numbers decreased overall by 33.36%. Ten departments’ outpatient numbers decreased >33.36%; however, outpatient numbers increased in two departments. In 2020, the overall patient reservation rate in 24 departments was 82.22% of the 2019 reservation rate; the rates in 14 departments were <82.22%. Moreover, patient reservation rates varied across different months. Our research shows that COVID-19’s impact on different departments also varied. Additionally, our research suggests that well-known departments will be less affected by COVID-19, as will departments related to tumor treatment, where there may also be an increase in patient numbers. Patient reservation rates are an indicator worthy of attention. We suggest that hospital managers classify departments according to changes in outpatient numbers and patient reservation rates and adopt accurate, dynamic, and humanized management strategies to allocate outpatient doctor resources.
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