The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Palestinian Patients Attending Selected Governmental Hospitals: An Analysis of Hospital Records

TL;DR

The study shows how the COVID-19 pandemic reduced non-COVID patient visits and surgeries in Palestinian hospitals, with some services still maintained.

Contribution

The paper provides a regional analysis of pandemic impacts on healthcare access in the West Bank.

Findings

Clinic visits dropped by 49% to 90%, with ENT, urology, and pediatric clinics most affected.

Surgery reductions varied by hospital autonomy, with centralized hospitals seeing up to 91.8% fewer operations.

Obstetric and gynecological services and essential surgeries were largely maintained despite the pandemic.

Abstract

Introduction: Confronting the COVID-19 epidemic forced the closure or relocation of the majority of health facilities. It is likely that non-COVID-19 patients suffered collateral effects. Methods: The clinic and operating room records were analyzed at selected Palestinian government hospitals in the West Bank region. Results: The reduction in patient clinic visits varied from 49% to 90%, with Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT), urology, and pediatric clinics being the most affected. The reduction in operation numbers in the center (which had independent decision-making) ranged from 7.1% to 23.4%, but in the north and south (which followed centralized choices), the reduction ranged from 19.6% to 91.8%. Conclusions: COVID-19 affected outpatient visits. The pandemic affected some services, but West Bank hospitals were able to provide normal obstetric and gynecological treatments and help patients who needed primary or intermediate surgery.

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