JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Central COVID-19 Coordination Centers (CCCC) have been established at several hospitals across Germany with the intention to assist local healthcare professionals in efficiently referring patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to regional hospitals, and therefore to prevent the collapse of local health system structures. In addition, they coordinate interhospital transfers of COVID-19 patients and provide or arrange specialized telemedical consultations.

Objective:

This study describes the establishment and management of a CCCC at a German university hospital.

Methods:

We perform economic analyses (cost, cost-effectiveness, use and utility) according to the CHEERS criteria. Additionally, a systematic review was conducted to identify publications on similar institutions worldwide.

Results:

The two months with the highest local incidence (12/2020 and 01/2021) of COVID-19 cases were considered. During this time, 17.3 requests per day were made to CCCC regarding admission or transfer of COVID-19 patients. The majority of requests was made by emergency medical services (56.3%), patients with an average age of 71.8 years were involved and 69.0% of cases had already positive PCR detection. In 59.8% of the concerning patients, further treatment by the general practitioner or outpatient presentation in a hospital could be initiated after appropriate advice, 27.2% of patients were admitted to normal wards and 12.9% were directly transmitted to an intensive care unit. The operating costs of the CCCC amounted to more than €52,000 per month. 90.4% of all patients presented to the hospital were triaged and announced in advance by the CCCC. No other published economic analysis of COVID-19 coordination or management institutions at hospitals could be found.

Conclusions:

Despite the high cost of the CCCC, we were able to show that it is a beneficial concept to both the providing hospital and the public health system. However, the most important benefit of the CCCC is that it prevents hospitals from being overrun by patients and that it avoids situations in which doctors have to weigh up one patient’s life against another´s.