Alaska has just released data on excess hospitalizations and emergency department visits since Covid hit the state. The new report shows an overall decrease post-Covid, but an increase in visits associated with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, aneurysms, strokes, kidney disease, major cardiovascular diseases and intentional self-harm.
The report defines “excesses” as the difference between data in 2020 and 2021, and the average baseline numbers seen in the pre-pandemic years of 2017 to 2019.
Data came via billing records from all non-military health facilities in Alaska. The report focuses on specific health problems, which were chiefly responsible for a patient’s admission to a health facility during those years.
Of concern is the fact that several categories saw significant increases relative to pre-pandemic years.
Overall, inpatient hospitalization rates for all diagnoses in 2020 were 7% lower than expected, compared to the average from 2017-2019, and rates were 4% lower than expected in 2021. Outpatient emergency department visit rates in 2020 were 23% lower compared to the 2017-2019 average, and 17% lower in 2021.
Covid was the principal diagnosis for 820 inpatient hospitalizations in 2020 and 2,520 in 2021, a 207% increase. Covid was also the main diagnosis for 2,968 emergency department visits in 2020, and 8,930 visits in 2021, a 201% increase.
Of concern is the fact that several categories saw significant increases relative to pre-pandemic years.
In both 2020 and 2021, chronic liver disease (up 28%) and cirrhosis (up 58%) experienced the largest increases in inpatient hospitalization rates.
In 2020, aortic aneurysm and dissection experienced the largest increase in emergency department visit rates at +18%, while chronic liver disease and cirrhosis experienced the largest increase in 2021 – up 41%.
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Other categories in 2021 that saw sizable increases in inpatient hospitalization rates included stroke (11% higher than expected) and kidney disease (+10%). For emergency department visit rates, other categories that increased in 2021 included intentional self-harm (+10%), stroke (+12%), kidney disease (+25%), and other major cardio-vascular diseases (+28%).
Several areas saw notable decreases.
In 2020, chronic lower respiratory disease experienced the largest decrease in inpatient hospitalization rates (-51%), while influenza and pneumonia experienced the largest decrease in 2021 (-61%).
Similarly, in 2020, chronic lower respiratory disease and influenza and pneumonia tied for the largest decrease in emergency department visit rates at -41%, while influenza and pneumonia experienced the largest decrease in 2021 at -70%.
Other categories of morbidity in 2021 that experienced notable decreases in inpatient hospitalization rates included, motor vehicle accidents (-16%), intentional self-harm (-22%), and assault (-29%). For emergency department visit rates, 2021 saw decreases in unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle accidents, (-14%), motor vehicle accidents alone (-14%), chronic lower respiratory disease (-39%), assault (-25%) and diabetes mellitus (-10%).
Click here to view the full report.
