A Country Level Analysis Comparing Hospital Capacity and Utilisation During the First COVID-19 Wave Across Europe

Abstract Background: The exponential increase of SARS-CoV-2 infections during the first wave of the pandemic created an extraordinary overload and demand on hospitals, especially on intensive care units (ICUs), across Europe. European countries have taken different measures to surge ICU capacity, but little is known on the extent. A country level analysis was conducted to compare hospitalisation rates of COVID-19 patients in acute and intensive care and the levels of surge capacity for intensive care beds across 16 European countries and Lombardy region during the first wave of the pandemic (28 February to 31 July).Methods: We used data on infection rates and numbers of current and/or cumulative COVID-19 patients in acute and intensive care in 16 countries and Lombardy region to analyse the burden on hospitals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on COVID-19 hospitalisations was continuously extracted since 20 March, 2020 from publicly available sources. To evaluate whether hospital capacities were exceeded, we retrieved information on hospital and ICU surge capacity. Treatment days and mean length of hospital stay were calculated to assess hospital utilisation by COVID-19 patients during the first wave. Results: Pre-pandemic hospital and ICU capacity varied widely across countries. In no studied country did the utilisation of acute care bed capacity by COVID-19 patients exceed 38.3%. However, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Lombardy would not have been able to treat all COVID-19 patients during the first wave without ICU surge capacity. Indicators of hospital utilisation were not consistently related to the numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The mean number of hospital days associated with one SARS-CoV-2 case ranged from 1.3 (Norway) to 11.8 (France). Conclusion: In many countries, the increase of ICU capacity was important to accommodate the high demand for intensive care during the first COVID-19 wave. Our study indicates that SARS-CoV-2 incidence is not the only aspect when it comes to the burden of hospital care for COVID-19 but rather the utilisation of hospital resources as shown by cumulative hospital days and mean length of stay during the first wave. Indicators presented in this study could inform forecasting models, especially in regard to necessary surge capacity.

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Central and Eastern European states in global production linkages: country-level and sector-level analysis

10.31338/1641-2478pe.2.17.3 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 38-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ewa Cieślik

Keyword(s):

Global Value Chains ◽

Jel Classification ◽

European Countries ◽

Value Chains ◽

Eastern European ◽

Large Share ◽

Country Level ◽

Western European ◽

Eastern European Countries ◽

Level Analysis

The paper evaluates Central and Eastern European countries’ (CEEs) location in global vertical specialization (global value chains, GVCs). To locate each country in global value chains (upstream or downstream segment/market) and to compare them with the selected countries, a very selective methodology was adopted. We concluded that (a) CEE countries differ in the levels of their participation in production linkages. Countries that have stronger links with Western European countries, especially with Germany, are more integrated; (b) a large share of the CEE countries’ gross exports passes through Western European GVCs; (c) most exporters in Central and Eastern Europe are positioned in the downstream segments of production rather than in the upstream markets. JEL classification: F14, F15.

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Pharmaceutical industry self-regulation and non-transparency: country and company level analysis of payments to healthcare professionals in seven European countries

Health Policy ◽

10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.04.015 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shai Mulinari ◽

Luc Martinon ◽

Pierre-Alain Jachiet ◽

Piotr Ozieranski

Keyword(s):

Pharmaceutical Industry ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Self Regulation ◽

European Countries ◽

Level Analysis

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Relationship between MODIS Derived NDVI and Yield of Cereals for Selected European Countries

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11020340 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 340

Author(s):

Ewa Panek ◽

Dariusz Gozdowski

Keyword(s):

Linear Regression ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Arable Land ◽

Early Spring ◽

European Countries ◽

Yield Prediction ◽

Country Level ◽

Using Data

In this study, the relationships between normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) obtained based on MODIS satellite data and grain yield of all cereals, wheat and barley at a country level were analyzed. The analysis was performed by using data from 2010–2018 for 20 European countries, where percentage of cereals is high (at least 35% of the arable land). The analysis was performed for each country separately and for all of the collected data together. The relationships between NDVI and cumulative NDVI (cNDVI) were analyzed by using linear regression. Relationships between NDVI in early spring and grain yield of cereals were very strong for Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia. This means that the yield prediction for these countries can be as far back as 4 months before the harvest. The increase of NDVI in early spring was related to the increase of grain yield by about 0.5–1.6 t/ha. The cumulative of averaged NDVI gives more stable prediction of grain yield per season. For France and Belgium, the relationships between NDVI and grain yield were very weak.

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Worldwide distribution, associated factors, and trends of gallbladder cancer: A global country-level analysis

Cancer Letters ◽

10.1016/j.canlet.2021.09.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 521 ◽

pp. 238-251

Author(s):

Junjie Huang ◽

Harsh K. Patel ◽

Daniel Boakye ◽

Viveksandeep Thoguluva Chandrasekar ◽

Anastasios Koulaouzidis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gallbladder Cancer ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Country Level ◽

Worldwide Distribution ◽

Level Analysis

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Understanding the uneven diffusion of building-scale renewable energy systems: A review of household, local and country level factors in diverse European countries

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.rser.2016.11.027 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 580-591 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Eva Heiskanen ◽

Kaisa Matschoss

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Systems ◽

European Countries ◽

Renewable Energy Systems ◽

Country Level

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Does innovation stimulate employment? A firm-level analysis using comparable micro-data from four European countries

International Journal of Industrial Organization ◽

10.1016/j.ijindorg.2014.06.001 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 29-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 123

Author(s):

Rupert Harrison ◽

Jordi Jaumandreu ◽

Jacques Mairesse ◽

Bettina Peters

Keyword(s):

European Countries ◽

Micro Data ◽

Firm Level ◽

Level Analysis

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Inequality in active ageing: evidence from a new individual-level index for European countries

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x17001052 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 541-567 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

MIKKEL BARSLUND ◽

MARTEN VON WERDER ◽

ASGHAR ZAIDI

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Positive Association ◽

European Countries ◽

Active Ageing ◽

Unequal Distribution ◽

Individual Level ◽

Country Level ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Share Data ◽

The Individual

ABSTRACTIn the context of emerging challenges and opportunities associated with population ageing, the study of inequality in active-ageing outcomes is critical to the design of appropriate and effective social policies. While there is much discussion about active ageing at the aggregate country level, little is known about inequality in active-ageing experiences within countries. Based on the existing literature on active ageing, this paper proposes an individual-level composite active ageing index based on Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data. The individual-level nature of the index allows us to analyse inequality in experiences of active ageing within selected European countries. One important motivation behind measuring active ageing at the individual level is that it allows for a better understanding of unequal experiences of ageing, which may otherwise be masked in aggregate-level measures of active ageing. Results show large differences in the distribution of individual-level active ageing across the 13 European countries covered and across age groups. Furthermore, there is a positive association between the country-level active ageing index and the equality of its distribution within a country. Hence, countries with the lowest average active ageing index tend to have the most unequal distribution in active-ageing experiences. For nine European countries, where temporal data are also available, we find that inequality in active-ageing outcomes decreased in the period 2004 to 2013.

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Surge capacity and capability of intensive care units across a large healthcare system: An operational blueprint for regional integration

American Journal of Disaster Medicine ◽

10.5055/ajdm.2021.0400 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 179-192

Author(s):

Abhijit Duggal, MD, MPH, MSc ◽

Erica Orsini, MD ◽

Eduardo Mireles-Cabodevila, MD ◽

Sudhir Krishnan, MD ◽

Prabalini Rajendram, MD ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Resource Allocation ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Healthcare System ◽

Regional Integration ◽

Medical Center ◽

Academic Medical Center ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Surge Capacity ◽

Hospital System ◽

The Individual

Objective: Many hospitals were unprepared for the surge of patients associated with the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We describe the processes to develop and implement a surge plan framework for resource allocation, staffing, and standardized management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic across a large integrated regional healthcare system.Setting: A large academic medical center in the Cleveland metropolitan area, with a network of 10 regional hospitals throughout Northeastern Ohio with a daily capacity of more than 500 intensive care unit (ICU) beds.Results: At the beginning of the pandemic, an equitable delivery of healthcare services across the healthcare system was developed. This distribution of resources was implemented with the potential needs and resources of the individual ICUs in mind, and epidemiologic predictions of virus transmissibility. We describe the processes to develop and implement a surge plan framework for resource allocation, staffing, and standardized management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic across a large integrated regional healthcare system. We also describe an additional level of surge capacity, which is available to well-integrated institutions called “extension of capacity.” This refers to the ability to immediately have access to the beds and resources within a hospital system with minimal administrative burden.Conclusions: Large integrated hospital systems may have an advantage over individual hospitals because they can shift supplies among regional partners, which may lead to faster mobilization of resources, rather than depending on local and national governments. The pandemic response of our healthcare system highlights these benefits.

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Critical Pathway and Hospital-Hospital Cooperation in Acute Stroke Reduction of the Length of Hospital Stay

Interventional Neuroradiology ◽

10.1177/15910199000060s142 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 6 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. 251-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Y. Hashimoto ◽

T. Terasaki ◽

T. Yonehara ◽

M. Tokunaga ◽

T. Hirano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Hospital Stay ◽

Acute Stroke ◽

Neurological Disease ◽

Average Length ◽

Length Of Hospital Stay ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Critical Pathway ◽

Hospital Days ◽

Other Neurological Disease

Stroke patients tend to stay longer in one hospital compared to patients with other neurological disease. After the introduction of 3 types of critical pathway dedicated for various severity of acute ischemic stroke in 1995, the average length of in-hospital days declined from 30.0 days (1993) to 15.3 days (1998), ie 49% reduction. This reduction was achieved by the use of critical pathway and the hospital-hospital cooperation.

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