The population-based study of oncology surgery department service during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia Single Center Hospital

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented threat to global healthcare delivery. Moewardi Hospital was appointed by the government of Indonesia to be a COVID-19 one of regional hospital by June 2020. Other than COVID-19 cases, the hospital also provides care for other diseases which also provides care for oncology patients. The aim of the study: to assess the impact of the social restriction on oncology services in this hospital. Materials and Methods: This study compares the number of patients undergoing oncology surgery in the Central Surgery Unit and the number of patients attending the Outpatient Surgical Oncology Unit in March to July 2020 with the number of patients in the same timeframe in the previous year (2019). Results: The number of oncology operations in the Central Surgery Unit of Moewardi Hospital declined substantially during the 5-month pandemic period compared to the same period in the previous year, 2019 (p<0.001). There was also a significant drop in the number of patients attending the outpatient surgical oncology clinic during the pandemic period compared to the previous year (p<0.001) The lowest number of oncology surgeries occurred in April 2020, which was 20 patients. The lowest number of patients visited was 170 outpatients in March 2020. Thyroid and skin cancer cases were the most notable decline in surgical oncology cases in the Central Surgery Unit. The largest number of outpatients in the outpatient surgical oncology clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic was mammae and thyroid cancer. Conclusions: There was a decline in surgical oncology activities, which culminated in a significant decrease in surgical oncology patients in the Central Surgery Unit and the patient visit to the Moewardi Hospital outpatient oncology clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic.