Treatment cost of chest diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: Case analysis at the Düzce University Hospital.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to determine the cost of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) patients who were treated as outpatients and inpatients at Düzce University Health Application and Research Center (DUHARH) Chest Diseases Clinic before and after the pandemic from the perspective of the Social Security Institution (SSI). Materials and Methods: The study included 26.438 patients who applied to the Chest Diseases clinic in DUHARH before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 10 2019-March 10 2020) and after (March 11 2020-March 11 2021) and 2.971 patients who were hospitalized in the service. A sample was not selected in the research, and the entire universe was included in the study. The data obtained retrospectively were analyzed from bottom to top and through document analysis management. Frequency and percentage calculations, Spearman Correlation analysis, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to evaluate the data. Result: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average unit cost in the policlinic was 46.14 TL/patient ($8.14/patient), and the average unit cost was 64.69 TL/ patient ($9.23/patient) after the COVID-19 pandemic. The average cost of the pre-COVID-19 pandemic service was calculated as 1.139,64 TL/patient ($200/patient). After the COVID-19 pandemic, the average unit cost in the service was 2.136,27 TL/patient ($304.75/patient). A statistically significant difference in terms of costs was found between the two periods. It was determined that the costs of COVID-19 patients changed in terms of length of stay, age, and sex (p<0.05). Conclusions: Even though the number of patients in the Chest Diseases clinic has decreased during the pandemic process, the costs have increased due to the high cost of COVID-19 patients and the patients needing advanced examination and treatment in this period. For this reason, patients need to apply to the relevant unit early.

Duzce University Hospital in the Pandemic Process: From the Perspective of Chief Physician

We aimed to compile the effects of the preparations on the new coronavirus outbreak (Covid-19) in the largest pandemic, which is still visible in the world. Pandemics have caused millions of people to become ill, disabled and death for centuries Thanks to past pandemics that deeply affect the society health, socially and economically, preparations have been made again against possible pandemics. Preparations may not go as planned. Desperation may occur for unforeseen situations. Despite these despair, the tool that can contribute in practice besides the basic principles in combating pandemics can be obtained from the past. Like every pandemic, the pandemic will end one day. Those applied and not implemented after the outbreak will be evaluated and will remain a lesson from the past for future outbreaks.