Abstract
Background The COVID 19 pandemic is a major challenge to all social systems, particularly the
healthcare system. Within an international study, German Trauma Centres DGU and Geriatric
Trauma Centres DGU have been questioned about their situation.
Method The questionnaire was translated from English into German and sent to all contacts.
The evaluation was performed descriptively.
Results 71 of 692 centres participated in this study. Government instructions to avoid elective
treatments have been adhered to by 68% of the hospitals, and the remaining performed
only urgent elective treatments. There was also a decline in the number of traumatological
patients. In more than 90% of the hospitals, only 0 – 4% of all patients treated for
proximal femur fracture were tested positive for COVID-19. It appears that 84% of
these hospitals have or will have financial deficits. Almost all hospitals were organised
and ready to fight the pandemic with their personal and/or infrastructural resources
they possess.
Conclusion Our questionnaire shows that the pandemic had an enormous effect on Trauma Centres
DGU and Geriatric Trauma Centres DGU. The hospitals expect financial losses. Almost
all the hospitals have provided personal and infrastructural resources to be used
in the fight against the pandemic with a better outcome in Germany in comparison with
international standards.
Key words
COVID-19 - Centre for Geriatric Trauma - Trauma Centre - IMPACT-Study - proximal femur
fracture
