[How Region Sörmland dealt with Covid-19 in 2020-2021]

In Region Sörmland, the burden of critical illness during the first wave of Covid-19 in april 2020 lead to a 25-fold increase in the number of patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. The decision was made that quantity should be prioritised before individual quality. This led to a highly standardised care during the intensive care period. All patients admitted to any of the county's three hospitals were assessed as regarded their ability to survive invasive mechanical ventilation. The assessment was based on the Charlson Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index and the Clinical Frailty Scale. Of all >2000 admitted patients with Covid-19, 37% were assessed as not to benifit from mechanical ventilation. The outcome of intensive care patients was very good in Region Sörmland compared to the rest of Sweden, with a 30-day mortality rate of 14% following intensive care. The outcome after Covid-19-associated intensive care in Sweden differed highly between ICUs, with a span of 7-58% 30-day mortality rate.