Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitals

Researchers could show that due to cancelled or postponed surgical procedures, 28.4 million procedures had been postponed during the peak 12 weeks of the pandemic. 2.3 million cancer surgeries were expected to be postponed. Estimates could show that 72.3% of all surgical procedures would be cancelled and that benign disease and orthopaedics would be the most affected procedures.[4] On the other hand, a study published by the same group could show that postoperative pulmonary complications and mortality were significantly elevated in operated patients with SARS-CoV-2-infection. Thus a careful balance would have to be found between the risks of the operation and the risk of delaying the latter.[5] To minimize the risk for SARS-CoV-2-related complications after hospital procedures, it was later during the pandemic proposed to establish COVID-19-free clinical pathways.[6]

In a global student survey (Aristovnik et al., 2020), the respondents were by far the most satisfied with the role of hospitals with two-thirds of all respondents being satisfied (or very satisfied) with their response, especially in Sri Lanka with even 94.6% in the times of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is obvious that since globally healthcare providers were working harder than ever to keep citizens safe this may act as a starting point for providers to rebuild the nation’s (including students’) satisfaction and trust in healthcare.[7]

China has rapidly constructed new hospitals to accommodate a large number of beds.[8]

According to doctors in Tokyo, Japan, the state of emergency is not enough for stopping the spread of the coronavirus.[9]

In the United States, hospitals financially rely on "surgeries, scans and other well-reimbursed services to privately insured patients". Non-emergency care was discontinued during the pandemic, causing severe financial problems. For example, the Mayo Clinic's revenue had a net gain of $1 billion in 2019, but had to cancel surgeries in 2020 and therefore expects to lose nearly $1 billion during 2020.[10]

The federal government passed the CARES Act which is giving $30 billion to hospitals nationwide.[11] 261 hospital systems laid off or furloughed over 100,000 employees by May 21.[12]

Doctors and nurses working in public hospitals went on strike over lack of PPE's, to use while treating patients.[13][14][15]

"Some countries like Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast have insurance for their health workers and have promised to provide them with allowances."[16]

Globally, women make up 70 percent of workers in the health and social sector. Women are playing a disproportionate role in responding to the disease, including as front line healthcare workers (as well as carers at home and community leaders and mobilisers). In some countries, COVID-19 infections among female health workers are twice that of their male counterparts.[17][18][19]

• Media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic
• List of overwhelmed health care systems in the COVID-19 pandemic