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. 2022 Apr 22;5(3):e615.
doi: 10.1002/hsr2.615. eCollection 2022 May.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Pennsylvania and its healthcare system

Ayse Yilmaz  1 , Allison Hermane  1
Affiliations

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Pennsylvania and its healthcare system

Ayse Yilmaz et al. Health Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Background and aims: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has taken a toll on Pennsylvania, and the fight against the pandemic continues, with the commonwealth's hospitals and health systems at the epicenter. This report aims to demonstrate the magnitude of the impact of the pandemic on Pennsylvania, with specific attention to its hospitals and health systems and their financial status during the very first year of the pandemic.

Methods: To measure this magnitude, publicly available US and Pennsylvania COVID-19 data is analyzed, including more detailed geographical, rural/urban, and race/ethnicity analyses.

Results: The results show that the case counts started with just two cases on March 6, 2020, and rose to approximately a million by the first anniversary of the pandemic's arrival in the commonwealth. Tragically, the death toll totaled nearly 25,000 during the first year. Philadelphia County had the highest number of total COVID-19 cases, while Forest County had the highest incidence rate. The Southeast region had the highest number of total COVID-19 cases, while the Lehigh Valley had the highest incidence rate. The incidence rate also was higher in rural counties than in urban counties. Black and Latino/a/x populations of Pennsylvania were disproportionally affected by the virus. Several reports measured the financial impact of the pandemic on the state's hospitals to be $4.1-$5 billion during this year.

Conclusion: Hospitals are economic anchors of their communities. To fulfill their critical mission during the pandemic and beyond-and remain economic and community anchors-they need ongoing state and federal support.

Keywords: health economics and evaluation; health policy; healthcare management; public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cumulative COVID‐19 cases in Pennsylvania (in thousands, March 6, 2020–March 6, 2021). COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 2
Figure 2
Daily new COVID‐19 cases in Pennsylvania (March 6, 2020–March 6, 2021). COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 3
Figure 3
COVID‐19 case rate per 100,000 residents (February 28, 2020–March 6, 2021). COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 4
Figure 4
Total COVID‐19 cases by Pennsylvania counties (March 6, 2020–March 6, 2021). COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 5
Figure 5
COVID‐19 case rate per 100,000 population by Pennsylvania counties (March 6, 2020–March 6, 2021). COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 6
Figure 6
Total cases by Pennsylvania regions (March 6, 2020–March 6, 2021).
Figure 7
Figure 7
COVID‐19 Case Rate per 100,000 Residents Pennsylvania Regions (March 6 2020‐March 6, 2021)
Figure 8
Figure 8
Cumulative case rate: Urban versus rural Pennsylvania (March 6, 2020–March 6, 2021).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Hospitalized COVID‐19 patients in Pennsylvania (March 26, 2020–March 6, 2021). COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 10
Figure 10
Percentage of COVID‐19 patients to all inpatients (July 31, 2020–February 26, 2021). COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019
Figure 11
Figure 11
Cumulative deaths due to COVID‐19 in Pennsylvania.
Figure 12
Figure 12
New deaths per day (March 18, 2020–March 8, 2021).
Figure 13
Figure 13
The death rate per 100,000 residents in Pennsylvania and United States.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Cases per 100,000 people in Pennsylvania.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Deaths per 100,000 people in Pennsylvania.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Timeline of major mitigation efforts put into effect in Pennsylvania (March 11, 2020–March 6, 2021).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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