![]() ![]() Schools, colleges, along with mosques and other public places such as beaches, playgrounds, airports and boarders were closed and national lockdowns were enforced. ![]() Different measures were taken in Oman to reduce the spread of the virus. The number of new cases increased thereafter, reaching two peaks in July 2020 and April 2021. The first COVID-19 positive cases in Oman were reported on 24 thof February 2020 for two Omani passengers coming back from Iran. Prevention measures have been taken by governments around the world to reduce the spread of the virus and the number of infections, for example, social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, national lockdowns, and restrictions to travel have been implemented in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and decrease the number of new cases to prevent overburden and the collapse of our healthcare systems. Since then, the virus has spread all over the world and as of August 2021, 209 million people have been infected with COVID-19, leading to 4.3 million deaths. ![]() The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, coronavirus (COVID-19), was reported in the end of 2019 in Wuhan province, China, and was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organisation in January 2020. ![]() Virtual appointments, introduced after start of the pandemic, also had substantial rates of missed appointments and cannot be viewed as the single approach that can overcome the problem of missing hospital appointments. The case mix of patients who missed their appointments did not change. The rate of missed visits in most clinics was directly impacted by COVID-19. Distance of patient residence to the hospital revealed no discernible changes in the relative effect pre and post COVID-19 for both face-to-face and virtual clinic appointments. Most predictors of missed appointments did not demonstrate any appreciable changes in effect (i.e., interaction term not statistically significant). A surge in the frequency of missed appointments was seen during national lockdowns for face-to-face and virtual appointments. Increases in missed face-to-face appointments varied by clinic (Paediatrics from 19.3% pre to 28.2% post Surgery from 12.5% to 25.5% Obstetrics & Gynaecology from 8.4% to 8.5%). Missed hospital appointments were more frequent (32.2%) in virtual clinics (post COVID-19). The rate of missed face-to-face hospital appointments increased from 16.9% pre to 23.8% post start of COVID-19, particularly in early pandemic (40.5%). ResultsĪ total of 34, 3149 scheduled appointments was analysed (320,049 face-to-face and 23,100 virtual). Logistic regression models were used with interaction terms (post COVID-19) to assess changes in the predictors of missed appointments. The study population included scheduled face-to-face and virtual appointments between January 2019 and March 2021. MethodsĪ retrospective single-centre analysis was conducted to determine the effect of COVID-19 on missed hospital appointments at various clinics at The Royal Hospital (tertiary referral hospital) in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the rate and predictors of missed hospital appointment in the Sultanate of Oman. The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant changes in the delivery of health care services such as attendance of scheduled outpatient hospital appointments. ![]()
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