Status quo after one year of COVID-19 pandemic in otolaryngological hospital-based departments and private practices in Germany.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
; 279(2): 1063-1070, 2022 Feb.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1321740
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected healthcare systems worldwide. Data on the impact on otolaryngological clinics and private practices is sparse. This study aimed to present data on healthcare worker (HCW) screening, status of HCW, pre-interventional testing, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the economic impact of the pandemic.METHODS:
Otolaryngological private practices and hospital-based departments were surveyed nationwide using an online questionnaire. Participating facilities were recruited via the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and the German Association for Otolaryngologists in Bavaria.RESULTS:
365 private practices (2776 employees) and 65 hospitals (2333 employees) were included. Significantly more hospitals (68.7%) than practices (40.5%) performed pre-interventional testing in their outpatients (p < 0.00). Most inpatients were tested in practices and hospitals (100.0% and 95.0%; p = 0.08). HCW screening was performed in 73.7% of practices and in 77.3% of hospitals (p = 0.54). Significantly more HCW infections were reported in private practices (4.7%) than in hospital (3.6%; p = 0.03). The private or home environment was the most frequent source of infection among HCW in hospitals (44%) and practices (63%). The use of PPE increased over the course of the pandemic. The number of procedures and the revenue decreased in 2020.CONCLUSION:
The rate of pre-interventional testing among outpatients in otolaryngological practices is low and HCW infections were found to be more frequent in practices than in hospitals. In addition, a high rate of infections in otolaryngological HCW seems to stem from the private or home environment.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Otolaryngology
/
Private Practice
/
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
Journal subject:
Otolaryngology
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S00405-021-06992-2
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