Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Gyne-Oncological Treatment-A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis of a German University Hospital with 30,525 Patients

Abstract

The study pursues the objective of drawing a comparison between the data of gyne-oncology, gynecology, and obstetrics patient collectives of a German university hospital regarding the progression of patient number and corresponding treatment data during the five-year period of 2017-2021 to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gyne-oncological treatment. Descriptive assessment is based on data extracted from the database of the hospital controlling system QlikView^® for patients hospitalized at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Marburg University Hospital. Gynecology and gyne-oncology experience a maintained decline in patient number (n_Gynecology: -6% 2019 to 2020, -5% 2019 to 2021; n_{Gyne-Oncology}: -6% 2019 to 2020, -2% 2019 to 2021) with varying effects on the specific gyne-oncological main diagnoses. Treatment parameters remain unchanged in relative assessment, but as gyne-oncology constitutes the dominating revenue contributor in gynecology (35.1% of patients, 52.9% of revenue, 2021), the extent of the decrease in total revenue (-18%, 2019 to 2020, -14%, 2019 to 2021) surpasses the decline in patient number. The study displays a negative impact on the gynecology care situation of a German university hospital for the entire pandemic, with an even greater extent on gyne-oncology. This development not only endangers the quality of medical service provision but collaterally pressurizes gynecology service providers.

Keywords: COVID-19; gyne-oncology; maximum service supplier; pandemic; university hospital.

Figure 1

Monthly relative case development of the gynecology, obstetrics, and gyne-oncology patient collectives (2019–2021) and absolute number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at Marburg University Hospital.