The COVID-19 pandemic created global crises on almost every facet of the global economy, most especially on medical logistics. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of the pandemic on the Tamale Teaching Hospital’s healthcare resource management and utilization. The study compared data on the hospital utilization by clients by reviewing a three-month data before COVID-19 and three months data after the hospital started recording COVID-19 cases. Findings revealed that on the advent of COVID-19 in the hospital, patients’ admission figures declined by 21% bringing down the revenue generation by 31%. However, the value of logistics and supply chain increased by 35.72%, reflecting in the hospital’s expenditure that went up by 44.8%. The COVID-19 pandemic left the Tamale Teaching Hospital with a ballooned expenditure and a disruption of the health service delivery.
Objective: To determine whether laboratory results match the preliminary diagnosis, using a model of malaria diagnosis by clinical staff at Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Ghana.Methods: Data of outpatients diagnosed with malaria in 2012 were collected retrospectively from clinical notes. Data of the clinicians who provided the preliminary diagnoses were collected by self-reporting questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed with Epi-Info and SPSS software.Results: A total of 344 patients were diagnosed with malaria in 2012, consisting of 186 females and 158 males. The age ranges between one month and 80 years. Forty-four clinicians responded to the questionnaire, consisting of 12 females and 32 males with mean ± SD age of 40.2±10.0 years. Respondents included consultants, medical officers, house officers, physician assistants, physician specialists and senior nurses, with mean ± SD years since qualification of 11.6±9.8 (range: 1-40 years). Nearly one-half (49%) of the clinicians reported not normally requesting laboratory investigations for suspected cases of malaria, thus not following an evidence-based approach for preliminary diagnosis. Slightly over onehalf (51%) of the preliminary diagnoses of malaria in suspected cases were incorrect. However, statistical assessment of the clinician’s preliminary diagnosis and the results from laboratory tests for malaria parasites showed a correlation (p=0.6548 at 95% CI).Conclusion: Practice of evidence-based medicine and establishment of a technology-based healthcare system can lead to decrease incorrect diagnoses and inappropriate health care management
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