Audit of South Thames Retrieval Service (STRS) Respiratory Retrieval:
Has COVID-19 impacted the activity and efficiency? To what does this refer
Research Project Summary
The effects of COVID-19 on paediatric patients are mainly mild, and the mortality rate is low. However, little is known about how COVID-19 impacts paediatric respiratory patterns. This study will explore the respiratory patterns of paediatric patients, retrieved via the South Thames Retrieval Service (STRS) during the Covid 19 pandemic, comparing those patterns with patterns drawn from the same service in the five years preceding COVID-19.
There is also a paucity of data about the variance in paediatric referrals during the pandemic in comparison to previous years. This retrospective chart review study will, therefore, explore the sampled patients’ demographics, including age, gender, ethnic group and post code, in addition to reason for transfer (respiratory diagnosis), length of hospital stay and the seasonality of respiratory diseases. This study will attempt to find changes that must be documented ahead of any possible future pandemics.
Aims and objectives of the research project:
Aim:
Discuss the respiratory distress referrals from the STRS and identify the impact of COVID-19 on referral service delivery.
Objectives
Primary:
To identify the changes in referral patterns for respiratory conditions after the pandemic.
To identify patients’ demographics and patterns of respiratory diagnosis.
To measure the rate of paediatric referrals related to respiratory conditions.
To explore PICU outcomes (i.e., mortality and length of stay).
Secondary:
To compare the respiratory patterns before and after the pandemic.
To evaluate the associations among respiratory patterns, gender, and age.
To identify the season during which retrieval services are most often used for respiratory conditions.
To explore the patients’ lengths of hospital stays after referral.
To identify changes that must be documented as references for possible future pandemics.
Research project participants:
Data from all referrals and STRS retrievals (March 2015–March 2021) for paediatric patients aged zero to 16 will be reviewed.
Inclusion Criteria: All paediatric patients who received respiratory referrals and were retrieved by the STRS will be included.
Exclusion Criteria: Paediatric patients who were referred through the STRS for any other reasons (i.e., not primarily for respiratory distress) will be excluded