Use of linked patient data to assess the effect of Long-COVID on system-wide healthcare utilisation

Abstract

Background: Within the relatively early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been an awareness of the potential longer-term effects of infection (so called Long-COVID) but little was known of the ongoing demands such patients may place on healthcare services. Objective: To investigate whether COVID-19 illness is associated with increased post-acute healthcare utilisation. Method: Using linked data from primary care, secondary care, mental health and community services, activity volumes were compared across the 3 months preceding and proceeding COVID-19 diagnoses for 7,791 individuals, with a distinction made between whether or not patients were hospitalised for treatment. Differences were assessed against those of a control group containing individuals who had not received a COVID-19 diagnosis. All data were sourced from the authors’ healthcare system in South West England. Results: For hospitalised COVID-19 cases, a statistically significant increase in non-elective admissions was identified for males and females <65 years. For non-hospitalised cases, statistically significant increases were identified in GP Doctor and Nurse attendances and GP prescriptions (males and females, all ages); Emergency Department attendances (females <65 years); Mental Health contacts (males and females ≥65 years); and Outpatient consultations (males ≥65 years). Conclusion: There is evidence of an association between positive COVID-19 diagnosis and increased post-acute activity within particular healthcare settings. Linked patient-level data provides information that can be useful to understand ongoing healthcare needs resulting from Long-COVID, and support the configuration of Long-COVID pathways of care.

Did the general practice residents well adapt to real public health prevention ——a study from the COVID-19 prevention training in China

“…How to enhance public health service utilization in public health, community prevention and how to train our GP residents to make them full cultivated for the public health prevention is a new key issue we confront [18][19][20]. The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, highlight the importance and competence of the community prevention as the front line of epidemic prevention and control, pushing the GP residents into the front team of epidemic prevention and control [21,22].…”