Crowding Analysis for Pediatric Patients during the First Pandemic Wave of 2019 coronavirus epidemic (CoViD -19) at a Lombardy ED
3Pediatria, Pediatra Di Libera Scelta, Pavia, Italy
4Department of Public Health, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Italy
5Past Director Emergency Department, Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
6Critical Care, Foundation Irccs Policlinic, San Matteo, Italy
Background: The 2019 coronavirus epidemic (CoViD -19) in Italy originated in the southwest of Lombardy, on February 21, 2020. Our E.R. welcomes pediatric patients with trauma. Crowding has been defined as a worldwide problem. It is due by three orders of factors: those at the access (input); those related to the patient`s process (throughput); and those at the exit from the ED (output).
Purpose: We evaluated all pediatric population who went to our ED to assess crowding due to covid pandemic
Materials and Methods: We evaluated all pediatric patients accessing our ED from February 22 to May 1, 2020 and during the same period of the previous year.
Results and discussion: We enrolled 1225 patients. The Crowding input factors are lower in the pandemic period: reduced attenders (177 vs 1048) and reduced average waiting times (78min vs 129 min). The Crowding throughput factors have instead lightly worsened: LOS (length of stay) was higher (169 vs 137min). The Crowding output factors not worsened: the percentage of access block is overlapping during the pandemic (about 2-3%). The Total Access Block Time also is overlapping in the CoViDperiod for the holding area (about 200-300 min).
Conclusion: in our ED we have seen crowding seriously worsen due to the increase in the access block of the entire adult population. Crowding, on the other hand, has not worsened in the pediatric population, probably due to the lack of access blocks due to the non-increased number of absolute hospitalizations in pediatric population.
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