Artikel
COVID-19 as a stress test of hospital care in Europe – a descriptive comparison of hospital resource utilization in 14 European countries
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Autoren
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Elke Berger
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
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Helene Eckhardt
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
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Ulrike Nimptsch
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
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Dimitra Panteli
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
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Christoph Reichebner
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
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Tanja Rombey
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
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Juliane Winkelmann
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
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Reinhard Busse
- Berlin University of Technology, Department of Health Care Management, Berlin, Deutschland
| Veröffentlicht: | 25. September 2020 |
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Gliederung
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Background and current state of (inter)national research: Since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2019, the world has to face unforeseeable challenges. However, the country’s response to tackle the pandemic varied globally and across Europe. While the majority of the research focuses on epidemiological and medical aspects, research on hospital capacities and their utilization is missing.
Research questions and objectives: Therefore, the objective of the study was to compare the utilization of hospital, ICU and ventilation beds between countries and to evaluate potential changes over time. Furthermore, it should be analysed whether hospital capacities were exceeded in selected European countries, also considering potential extensions of hospital capacities as response to the pandemic. The study’s overall aim was to describe the burden on Europe’s different hospital systems and to inform health policy makers preparing for a potential ‘second wave’ of the pandemic.
Methods or hypothesis: We compiled a comparative database consisting of information on infection rates, tests, hospital cases, ICU cases and ventilated cases for 18 countries across Europe. On March 20th 2020 we have started to daily collect data provided by designated official authorities. Retrospectively available data was also retrieved for earlier points in time. The entries for each country start with 5 positive cases of illness per 100,000 inhabitants. The presented analysis focuses on a subset of 14 countries (including Germany), for which information on current hospitalizations or ICU treatments for the period until July 31st 2020 was available.
Results: The number of cases of illness per 100,000 inhabitants shows that the beginning of the pandemic varied between countries. While 5 per 100,000 were reached in the Lombardy already on February 28th, in Ireland this amount was reached only on March 16th. Further preliminary results show a wide range of hospital capacities across Europe and of measures to extend these since the pandemic emerged. Corresponding numbers and adjustments of capacities over time will be reported. Based on that, it will be presented whether and in which countries the number of hospitalized patients exceeded the number of existent hospital beds at any time and, when and how long this was the case. The same applies to ICU patients with and without ventilation.
Discussion: As the beginning of the pandemic across European countries differs, the countries had different periods of time to respond to it. It will be discussed whether time, initial capacities or the capability of the health care system might have influenced the hospital occupancy rate by COVID-19 patients. However, all the available data must be evaluated under the consideration of limitations, since the definitions of variables, collecting and reporting of data changed continuously over time.
Practical implications: The study provides unique information on health care utilization that can inform decision making preparing for a potential ‘second wave’ of the pandemic. However, for better monitoring of the pandemic, consistent and transparent reporting of data is necessary.
