Healthcare system approach to managing COVID-19 in a metropolitan community in Kentucky

Surge in testicular torsion in pediatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Testicular torsion is a pediatric surgical emergency, and prompt diagnosis and treatment is imperative. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pediatric patients with symptoms of testicular torsion may be reluctant to seek medical care which increases the likelihood of delayed presentation and the need for an orchiectomy. This observational study sought to determine whether there was a higher number of testicular torsion cases during COVID-19.

METHODS

As the first patient with COVID-19 was admitted to our facility on March 6, 2020, we identified male children ages 1-18 years with testicular torsion between March 1-December 31, 2020 (during COVID-19) compared to the same time period between 2015 and 2019 (prior to COVID-19). All patients were evaluated at our Institution's Emergency Department by a pediatric urologist.

RESULTS

There were 38 cases of testicular torsion between March 1-December 31, 2020 compared to 15.8 cases on average during the same 10-month period between 2015 and 2019 (a total of 79 cases). There was a statistically significant increase in testicular torsion cases during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to equivalent time periods in 2015-2019 (38 vs. 15.8, p = 0.05). Patients with testicular torsion during the COVID-19 pandemic were younger, had a longer duration of symptoms, and had a higher number of orchiectomies (although not statistically significant).

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an escalation in testicular torsion cases was observed. Timely assessment, diagnosis, and surgery are crucial to prevent testicular loss and potential infertility in the future. Further evaluation is needed to elucidate the surge in testicular torsion and possible mechanisms.

Rebooting the ambulatory enterprise in a community medical group in Kentucky following the initial surge of COVID-19

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has intensified globally since its origin in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Many medical groups across the United States have experienced extraordinary clinical and financial pressures due to COVID-19 as a result of a decline in elective inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures and most nonurgent elective physician visits. The current study reports how our medical group in a metropolitan community in Kentucky rebooted our ambulatory and inpatient services following the guidance of our state's phased reopening. Particular attention focused on the transition between the initial COVID-19 surge and post-COVID-19 surge and how our medical group responded to meet community needs. Ten strategies were incorporated in our medical group, including heightened communication; ambulatory telehealth; safe and clean outpatient environment; marketing; physician, other medical provider, and staff compensation; high quality patient experience; schedule optimization; rescheduling tactics; data management; and primary care versus specialty approaches. These methods are applicable to both the current rebooting stage as well as to a potential resurgence of COVID-19 in the future.

The impact of COVID-19 on patient safety attendant use

ABSTRACT

Patient safety attendants (PSAs) provide constant direct observation to patients who have cognitive impairments or thoughts. Some estimates report that an acute care hospital in the United States may spend more than $1 million annually on PSAs, an expenditure often not reimbursed. With no national defined standards to regulate or monitor PSA use, this study sought to determine the impact of COVID-19 on a PSA reduction program in a large Midwestern healthcare system.