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

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • LEOSS Study Group - (Author)
  • Division of Infectious Diseases
  • University of Cologne
  • University of Regensburg
  • German Center for Infection Research
  • University Hospital Frankfurt
  • Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
  • University Medical Center Freiburg
  • Hospital Ingolstadt
  • Technical University of Munich
  • Vivantes Humboldt-Clinic
  • Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
  • Johannes Wesling Clinic Minden
  • Heidelberg University 
  • Witten/Herdecke University
  • Robert Bosch Krankenhaus Stuttgart
  • University Hospital Tübingen
  • University of Würzburg
  • Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg
  • Clinics Maria Hilf GmbH
  • Tropenklinik Paul-Lechler Krankenhaus Tuebingen
  • University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel
  • German Federal Armed Forces Hospital Koblenz
  • University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden
  • Leverkusen Hospital
  • Helios Klinikum Pirna
  • Malteser Krankenhaus St. Franziskus-Hospital
  • Oberlausitz Clinics gGmbH
  • Ruhr University Bochum
  • Elblandklinikum Riesa
  • Agaplesion Bethesda Krankenhaus Bergedorf
  • Hannover Medical School (MHH)
  • Kliniken Südostbayern
  • Hegau-Bodensee Clinic Singen
  • Augustinian Hospital
  • Klinik Preetz
  • St. Vincenz Hospital Limburg
  • Stiftung kreuznacher diakonie Hunsrück
  • Saarland Heilstätten GmbH (SHG)

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.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)259–269
Number of pages11
JournalInfection
Volume53
Issue number1
Early online date16 Aug 2024
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 39150640
ORCID /0000-0001-9473-3018/work/175764404

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • COVID-19, Healthcare quality, Healthcare research, Infectious diseases medicine, Pandemic, Quality indicators