SARS-CoV-2 Testing and Patient Waiting Times in the Emergency Department.
Ir Med J
; 115(7): 633, 2022 Aug 18.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2084081
ABSTRACT
Aim Emergency Departments (EDs) were impacted early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with high attendance numbers. EDs relied upon SARS-CoV-2 reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests to triage patients and facilitate admission to appropriate wards, meaning positive patients were isolated as early as possible. In October 2020, we introduced a 24-hour SARS-CoV-2 testing service. We examined the impact of this on patient experience times (PETs) in the ED, and on healthcare-associated (HA) COVID-19 infections. Methods Data on PETs before and after the introduction of 24-hour testing were available from the ED. HA COVID-19 infections were reported weekly to the Health Services Executive as a key performance indicator. Results Mean PET prior to the pandemic was 20 hours and dropped to 10 and 13 hours respectively in the first and second wave. A surge in case numbers and ED attendances during the third wave was not reflected in a rise in PETs, with a mean PET of 11 hours, significantly below pre-pandemic levels. HA-COVID-19 infections remained stable between wave one and three (83 v 92). Conclusion The introduction of 24-hour SARS-CoV-2 testing in our ED contributed to a reduction in PETs, facilitated appropriate patient placement at ward level, and kept HA-COVID-19 infections at acceptably low levels.
Keywords
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Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Ir Med J
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ireland
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