Health System Resilience

New research on health system resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic is underway, and further updates will be provided once the publications are out.

Initial findings from a case study in Jena, Germany, reveal that EMS call volumes decreased significantly during lockdowns, with up to a 16% reduction. The average age of patients increased as younger people avoided healthcare settings, and there was a marked rise in on-site treatments to minimize hospital admissions. Notably, respiratory distress calls dropped by 50%, likely due to mask-wearing and other preventative measures.

Despite fewer calls, EMS teams faced longer mission times due to hygiene protocols and extended on-site care. Psychiatric emergencies fluctuated, initially declining during lockdowns and later rising, particularly those linked to alcohol and drug abuse. These insights underscore the pandemic’s complex impact on emergency care, with more details to follow in upcoming publications.