Citation

Allen MT, Thompson BC, Atkinson B, Fyfe CE, Scanlan MJ, Stephen RE, Thomas SI, Welsh GN, Wrigley R, McLeay A, Beck S, Dockerty JD. Emerg. Med. Australas. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1742-6723.13749

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in presentations to Emergency Departments (EDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the Southern Region of New Zealand.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective audit of patients attending EDs in the Southern District Health Board (SDHB), from 1 March to 13 May 2020. We made comparisons with attendances during the same period in 2019. The 2020 study period included "pre-lockdown" (1 March - 25 March), "level 4 (strict) lockdown" (26 March - 27 April) and "level 3 (eased) lockdown" (28 April - 13 May).

RESULTS: Patient volumes reduced in all SDHB EDs during levels 4 and 3, mostly representing a loss of low acuity patients (Australasian Triage Scale 3, 4 and 5), although high acuity presentations also declined. Average patient age increased by 5 years; however, the proportions of genders and ethnicities did not change. Presentations of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) and appendicitis did not change significantly. Trauma, mental health, Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and infectious respiratory presentations decreased significantly during level 4, and infectious respiratory presentations decreased further in level 3.

CONCLUSIONS: Within the SDHB, patient volumes reduced during levels 4 and 3 of our lockdown, with reduced low acuity presentations. High acuity patient numbers also declined. Trauma, alcohol-related, infectious respiratory and ACS presentations declined while CVA & appendicitis showed little-to-no change.

Language: en

Keywords

Trauma; New Zealand; Emergency Department; COVID-19; Acute Coronary Syndromes; Appendicitis; Cerebrovascular Accident; Mental Health; Presentations; Respiratory Infections