October 5, 2020

An Analysis of Changes in Emergency Department Visits After a State Declaration During the Time of COVID-19

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Clinical Characteristics and Health Care Setting

Keywords (Tags): health care setting

• An urban level 1 trauma center in Minnesota experienced a 35% decline in emergency department visits in 28 days following the state emergency declaration of COVID-19 on March 13, 2020, as compared with a similar period in 2019. Disproportionate declines were seen in visits by pediatric and older patients, women, and Medicare recipients, as well as for presentations of syncope (fainting or passing out), cerebrovascular accidents (strokes and transient ischemic attacks), kidney stones, and abdominal and back pain. Significant proportional increases were seen in emergency department visits for upper respiratory infections, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

Westgard et al. (June 11, 2020). An Analysis of Changes in Emergency Department Visits After a State Declaration During the Time of COVID-19. Annals of Emergency Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2020.06.019