How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Neurological Hospital Admissions in Germany: A Retrospective Analysis

These findings suggest a significant shift in hospital utilization patterns among neurology departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. While overall admissions decreased, average case severity was significantly higher. The latter was due to a selection bias because elective cases, less urgent and less morbid patients avoided hospital admission, or because their admission may have been delayed. A shorter length of stay was indicative of more efficient treatment. The avoidance of hospital care by patients with severe comorbidities could indicate a changed prioritization and utilization pattern but could also point to unmet health care needs. These observations underline the necessity for healthcare systems to adapt resource allocation and patient management strategies to ensure continuous quality of care during a pandemic.