Jul 19, 2022 - Health
More patients died after surgery at hospitals with high COVID burdens
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Hospitals with more COVID patients during the first pandemic wave in 2020 saw more patients who underwent surgery die afterward, a Journal of the American Medical Association study found.
The big picture: Researchers think patients seeking care too late due to fear of COVID-19 and the disruption in care at hospitals caused by the pandemic both were factors.
By the numbers: Researchers analyzed more than 2.9 million surgeries at 677 hospitals, using the CDC National Health Care Safety Network data.
- The odds of dying at hospitals with a very high COVID-19 burden from March to May 2020 were 38% higher than at facilities with low COVID-19 burden.
- Insurance status didn't play a factor in surgery outcomes for patients in hospitals with a high number of COVID cases.
But, but, but: Patients with Medicaid or no health insurance still had higher odds of dying or having poorer outcomes than patients with private coverage, the study found.
- The authors said the findings point to health care challenges that low-income patients face before and after they leave the hospital.
