The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on revisits to emergency department

Aim: This study presents the impact of COVID-19 on revisits to the emergency department comparing revisit rates and characteristics between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods.Methods: This multi-center retrospective study included patients over 18 years of age who visited emergency departments during the pre-COVID-19 period and the COVID-19 pandemic. The revisit rates were analyzed according to five age groups; 18-34, 35-49, 50-64, 65-79, and >= 80 years, and three revisit time intervals; 3, 9, and 30 days. Also, we compared the diagnosis and disposition at revisit between the study periods.Results: The revisit rates increased with age in both study periods and the revisit rates among all age groups were higher in the COVID-19 period. The proportion of infectious and respiratory diseases decreased during the COVID-19 period. The ICU admission rate and mortality at the revisit among patients aged >= 80 years were lower in the COVID-19 period than in the pre-COVID-19 period.Conclusion: The revisit rates increased with age in both study periods and there were several changes in the diagnosis and disposition at the revisit in the COVID-19 period.(c) 2023 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.