Impact of SARS on Hospital Performance
Author Information
Author(s): Chu Dachen, Chen Ran-Chou, Ku Chia-Yu, Chou Pesus
Primary Institution: National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Hypothesis
What is the long-term impact of SARS on hospital performance?
Conclusion
The study shows that a hospital shut down due to SARS has a longer-lasting impact on service recovery than previously reported.
Supporting Evidence
- Outpatient visits dropped to 55% of the base year during SARS and only recovered to 84% by the second year after.
- Emergency service volumes recovered to non-significant difference by the second year after SARS.
- Different departments experienced varying recovery times, with family medicine and nephrology recovering faster.
Takeaway
If a hospital closes because of a disease like SARS, it takes a long time for it to get back to normal. Some parts of the hospital recover faster than others.
Methodology
The study analyzed outpatient, inpatient, and emergency service volumes over four years, using the ARIMA model for outpatient volume.
Limitations
The study could not explain why certain departments did not return to normal service levels.
Participant Demographics
The study involved a municipal hospital in Taipei City with 450 beds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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