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. 2022 Nov;50(11):831-836.
doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2022.10.001. Epub 2022 Nov 16.

One year of COVID-19 pandemic: Health care workers' infection rates and economical burden in medical facilities for oral and maxillofacial surgery

Ella Bachmann  1 , Stephan Zellmer  2 , Maria Kahn  2 , Anna Muzalyova  2 , Alanna Ebigbo  2 , Bilal Al-Nawas  3 , Thomas Ziebart  4 , Axel Meisgeier  4 , Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann  5 , Fabian Eckstein  6 , Helmut Messmann  2 , Tilo Schlittenbauer  7 , Christoph Römmele  2
Affiliations

One year of COVID-19 pandemic: Health care workers' infection rates and economical burden in medical facilities for oral and maxillofacial surgery

Ella Bachmann et al. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2022 Nov.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to create an overview on the COVID-associated burdens faced by the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) workforce during 1 year of the pandemic. OMS hospitals and private practices nationwide were surveyed regarding health care worker (HCW) screening, infection status, pre-interventional testing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and economic impact. Participants were recruited via the German Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. A total of 11 hospitals (416 employees) and 55 private practices (744 employees) participated. The HCW infection rate was significantly higher in private practices than in clinics (4.7% vs. 1.4%, p<0.01), although most infections in HCW occurred in private environment (hospitals 88.2%, private practice 66.7%). Pre-interventional testing was performed significantly less for outpatients in private practices than in hospitals (90.7% vs. 36.4%, p<0.01). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used significantly more for inpatients in hospitals than in private practices (100.0% vs. 27.3%, p<0.01). FFP2/3 use rose significantly in hospitals (0% in second quarter vs. 46% in fourth quarter, p<0.05) and private practices (15% in second quarter vs. 38% in fourth quarter, p<0.01). The decrease in procedures (≤50%) was significantly higher in hospitals than in private practices (90.9% vs. 40.0%, p<0.01). Despite higher infection rates in private practices, declining procedures and revenue affected hospitals more. Future COVID-related measures must adjust the infrastructure especially for hospitals to prevent further straining of staff and finances.

Keywords: Aerosol; COVID-19; Healthcare workers; Oral and maxillofacial surgery; Personal protective equipment; Pre-interventional testing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Personal protective equipment (PPE). Use over the second to fourth quarter (Q2- Q4) with comparison between private practice (A) and clinics (B).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Cancellation of procedures over the course of the pandemic for private practices (A) and clinics (B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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