ArticlePloS one2022
The indirect impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of the emergency medical services during the first pandemic wave: A system-wide study of Tuscany Region, Italy.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- A nationwide analysis of emergency medical services' responses during six waves of COVID-19.Journal of public health research · 2025Article
- Acute care pathway assessed through performance indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic in OECD countries (2020-2021): a scoping review.BMC emergency medicine · 2024Article
- COVID-19 pandemic effects on the emergency medical services utilization: A systematic review protocol.Journal of education and health promotion · 2024Article
- Communicating with Patients about COVID-19 Vaccination: A Qualitative Study on Vaccinators in Tuscany Region, Italy.Vaccines · 2023Article
- Article
- Determinants of Actual COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in a Cohort of Essential Workers: An Area-Based Longitudinal Study in the Province of Prato, Italy.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Increase in Referrals of Children and Adolescents to the Psychiatric Emergency Room Is Evident Only in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic-Evaluating 9156 Visits from 2010 through 2021 in a Single Psychiatric Emergency Room.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Observational
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundUtilization of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) declined during COVID-19 pandemic, but most of the studies analyzed components of the EMS system individually. The study aimed to evaluate the indirect impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of all the components of the EMS system of Tuscany Region (Italy) during the first pandemic wave.
methodsAdministrative data from the health care system of Tuscany were used. Changes in utilization for out-of-hospital emergency calls and emergency vehicle dispatched, emergency department (ED) visits, and patients being admitted from the ED to an inpatient hospital bed (hospitalizations from ED) during the first pandemic wave were analyzed in relation with corresponding periods of the previous two years. Percentage changes and 95%CI were calculated with Poisson models. Standardized Ratios were calculated to evaluate changes in in-hospital mortality and hospitalizations requiring ICU.
resultsSignificant declines were observed in the utilization of all the EMS considered starting from the week in which the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in Italy till the end of the first pandemic wave. During the epidemic peak, the maximum decreases were observed: -33% for the emergency calls, -45% for the dispatch of emergency vehicles, -71% for ED admissions. Furthermore, a decline of 37% for hospitalizations from ED was recorded. Significant decreases in ED admissions for life threatening medical conditions were observed: acute cerebrovascular disease (-36%, 95% CI: -43, -29), acute myocardial infarction (-42%, 95% CI: -52, -31) and renal failure (-42%, 95% CI: -52, -31). No significant differences were found between the observed and the expected in-hospital mortality and hospitalizations requiring ICU during the epidemic peak.
conclusionAll the components of the EMS showed large declines in their utilization during COVID-19 pandemic; furthermore, major reductions were observed for admissions for time-dependent and life-threatening conditions. Efforts should be made to ensure access to safe and high-quality emergency care during pandemic.
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