The Impact of the Pandemic on Hospital Outcomes and Healthcare Disruptions
A retrospective study examining hospitalizations in Canada found that outcomes for hospitalized patients without COVID-19 did not differ significantly before and during the pandemic, except for specific subgroups such as those with heart failure or COPD/asthma. Patients with non-COVID conditions and COVID-19 co-infection had a higher 30-day mortality rate and longer hospital stays compared to those without COVID-19. The study suggests that Canadian hospitals, which were already operating at near-capacity before the pandemic, were able to maintain stability in outcomes for non-COVID patients despite the surge in COVID-19 cases. Further research is needed to understand if these findings hold true in other countries.