Role and benefits of infectious diseases specialists in the COVID-19 pandemic: Multilevel analysis of care provision in German hospitals using data from the Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2 infected patients (LEOSS) cohort

Tscharntke LT, Jung N, Hanses F, Koll CE, Pilgram L, Rieg S, Borgmann S, de Miranda SM, Scherer M, Spinner CD, Rüthrich M, Vehreschild MJ, von Bergwelt-Baildon M, Wille K, Merle U, Hower M, Rothfuss K, Nadalin S, Klinker H, Fürst J, Greiffendorf I, Raichle C, Friedrichs A, Rauschning D, de With K, Eberwein L, Riedel C, Milovanovic M, Worm M, Schultheis B, Schubert J, Bota M, Beutel G, Glück T, Schmid M, Wintermantel T, Peetz H, Steiner S, Ribel E, Schäfer H, Vehreschild JJ, Stecher M (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

DOI: 10.1007/s15010-024-02362-2

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the care provision and the role of infectious disease (ID) specialists during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A survey was conducted at German study sites participating in the Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2 infected patients (LEOSS). Hospitals certified by the German Society of Infectious diseases (DGI) were identified as ID centers. We compared care provision and the involvement of ID specialists between ID and non-ID hospitals. Then we applied a multivariable regression model to analyse how clinical ID care influenced the mortality of COVID-19 patients in the LEOSS cohort. Results: Of the 40 participating hospitals in the study, 35% (14/40) were identified as ID centers. Among those, clinical ID care structures were more commonly established, and ID specialists were always involved in pandemic management and the care of COVID-19 patients. Overall, 68% (27/40) of the hospitals involved ID specialists in the crisis management team, 78% (31/40) in normal inpatient care, and 80% (28/35) in intensive care. Multivariable analysis revealed that COVID-19 patients in ID centers had a lower mortality risk compared to those in non-ID centers (odds ratio: 0.61 (95% CI 0.40–0.93), p = 0.021). Conclusion: ID specialists played a crucial role in pandemic management and inpatient care.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Fraunhofer-Institut für Biomedizinische Technik (IBMT) / Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering Germany (DE) Kliniken Maria Hilf GmbH Germany (DE) Tropenklinik Paul-Lechler-Krankenhaus Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) Germany (DE) Bundeswehrzentralkrankenhaus Koblenz Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden Germany (DE) Klinikum Leverkusen Germany (DE) HELIOS Kliniken Germany (DE) Vivantes - Netzwerk für Gesundheit GmbH Germany (DE) Kliniken Südostbayern AG Germany (DE) Hegau-Bodensee-Klinikum Singen Germany (DE) Krankenhaus der Augustinerinnen Germany (DE) Klinik in Preetz Germany (DE) St. Vincenz Krankenhaus Limburg Germany (DE) Stiftung Kreuznacher Diakonie Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Köln Germany (DE) Malteser Norddeutschland gGmbH Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr-Universität Bochum Germany (DE) Oberlausitz-Kliniken Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg Germany (DE) St. Elisabeth Gruppe GmbH - Katholische Kliniken Rhein-Ruhr Germany (DE) Universität Witten/Herdecke Germany (DE) Robert-Bosch-Krankenhaus Germany (DE) Elblandkliniken Germany (DE) Bethesda Krankenhaus Bergedorf Germany (DE) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) / Hannover Medical School Germany (DE) SHG-Kliniken Völklingen Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Regensburg Germany (DE) Klinikum Ingolstadt Germany (DE) Klinikum rechts der Isar Germany (DE) Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (DZIF) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main (KGU) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Freiburg Germany (DE) Klinikum der Universität München Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Tübingen Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Tscharntke, L.T., Jung, N., Hanses, F., Koll, C.E., Pilgram, L., Rieg, S.,... Stecher, M. (2024). Role and benefits of infectious diseases specialists in the COVID-19 pandemic: Multilevel analysis of care provision in German hospitals using data from the Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2 infected patients (LEOSS) cohort. Infection. https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-024-02362-2

MLA:

Tscharntke, Lene T., et al. "Role and benefits of infectious diseases specialists in the COVID-19 pandemic: Multilevel analysis of care provision in German hospitals using data from the Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2 infected patients (LEOSS) cohort." Infection (2024).

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