Did Emergency Admissions Reduce During Covid Lockdown in India?

Abstract

Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related lockdown has affected the health sector in many ways. In this study we have analysed the impact of lockdown on emergency admissions. Aim: To compare the trend and number of claims for medical and surgical emergencies during the lockdown period 1.0 and 2.0 from 25th March to 3rd May 2020 with the same period in 2019. Methods: All the claims for medical and surgical emergencies from 25th March 2020 to 3rd May 2020 were compared with the similar data for the same period in 2019. This study was performed sourcing the data from the database of Star Health Insurance medical claims platform. ICD-10 codes (59 medical and 57 surgical) were chosen for common medical and surgical emergencies. The results were expressed as percentage of total claims and statistical analysis was performed with Chi square test (Graphpad Prism version 7). Results: Number of medical emergency claims dropped significantly by 61% during lockdown period 2020 (1899) compared to the same period in 2019 (4900). Cardiac emergencies dropped by 58%; strokes by 58% and gastrointestinal emergencies by 50%. Surgical emergencies dropped significantly by 78% (Non-traumatic emergencies by 67%; Traumatic emergencies by 89%). In 2019 proportion of (medical+surgical) emergencies/ total claims was 10413/68480 (15.2 %) and this dropped significantly to 3138/28767 (10.9%) in 2020 (p=0.0001). Conclusions: Both non traumatic surgical and medical emergencies dropped significantly during lockdown. The reasons for such drop in emergencies are worth analysing further.