Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35193152›Full record

ArticleKlinische Monatsblatter fur Augenheilkunde2023

Surgical Care in Specialist Ophthalmology Departments: Structure and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Olga Karaca, Hansjürgen Agostini, Enno Bialas, Ursula Hahn, Aljoscha S Neubauer, Jörg-Andreas Rüggeberg, Janine Subert, Focke Ziemssen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Klinische Monatsblatter fur Augenheilkunde, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Olga KaracaResearch & Development, digmed GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.
Hansjürgen AgostiniEye Clinic, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Enno BialasResearch & Development, digmed GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.
Ursula HahnOphthalmology, OcuNet, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Aljoscha S NeubauerInstitute for Health- and Pharmacoeconomics (IfGPh), Munich, Germany.
Jörg-Andreas RüggebergSpecialist in surgery and trauma surgery sports medicine, Professional Association of German Surgeons e. V. (BDC), Bremen, Germany.
Janine SubertAlimera Sciences, Berlin, Germany.
Focke ZiemssenDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-3873-0581

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpecialist ophthalmology departments contribute to the surgical care of German patients. Outpatient and inpatient surgeries were restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic and led to a sharp decline in the number of cases in ophthalmological care. The aim of this analysis was to improve the understanding of the logistic structures of medical facilities as well as the effects of the pandemic. MATERIAL AND

methodBased on reported process data, a sample of the specialist ophthalmological departments were examined based on operation and procedure codes (OPS) and data submitted between 01.01.2017 and 31.05.2021 according to the benchmarking programmes of the Professional Association of German Anaesthetists (BDA), the Professional Association of German Surgeons (BDC), and the Association for Operating Theatre Management (VOPM).

resultsEighteen ophthalmology departments from Germany were analysed. After the decline in the number of cases (by temporarily up to 48%) during the first wave of the pandemic, the case numbers of all interventions assessed as nonurgent continued to be reduced. While intravitreal injections hardly decreased during the first wave (- 16%), significant drops in the coverage of cataract surgery (- 79%), vitrectomies (- 35%), glaucoma surgery (- 59%), strabismus surgery (- 95%), and eyelid surgery (- 52%) were found. One exception was intravitreal injection, which stabilised at a lower level early on during the pandemic. Overall, the number of cases during the later phases of the pandemic were significantly reduced below the level of previous years, despite the maintenance of emergency care. The underuse was variable for different interventions.

conclusionIn addition to self-reported figures, the analysed process data demonstrates the effect that various factors had on elective as well as urgent operations within hospital care during the pandemic. Despite partial stabilisation of some services, a relevant supply gap for outpatient and inpatient interventions was identified, with corresponding effects on the eye health of the population, while compensation or performance enhancement have not taken place to date. Facing the growing preload and the demographic development, future structures must therefore allow for an increase in the performance of specialist ophthalmological departments.

Indexed as

Cataract ExtractionCOVID-19OphthalmologyHumansOutpatientsPandemics

Identifiers

PMID35193152
PMCPMC10718946

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.