{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T19:51:40Z","timestamp":1787860300627,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":16,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,13]],"date-time":"2025-05-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747094400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Turku Univerisity Hospital","award":["80049"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["80049"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec018\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The COVID-19 pandemic has increased morbidity and mortality, along with substantial economic repercussions for healthcare systems and communities worldwide. This study describes the costs incurred by one of the biggest university hospitals in Finland during the first three years of the pandemic, from 2020 to 2022.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec019\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A retrospective analysis was conducted at a 950-bed tertiary care hospital, encompassing data from 2020 to 2022. Hospitalized COVID-19 cases were identified from an automated surveillance program that integrated microbiological and administrative data. Patient-level data, including hospitalization demographics, vaccination status, and outcomes, were collected. Billing costs, indirect costs, and operational data were obtained to assess hospital costs comprehensively.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec020\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>During 2020\u20132022, 2 555 COVID-19-positive patients were treated at the hospital. Of them, 57% were hospitalized primarily for COVID-19 with the hospital billing costs of 14 492 399 \u20ac (median 4 137 \u20ac\/ patient), and 47% of these costs were due to intensive care. Including ER visits of COVID-19 outpatients, admission screening and isolation costs of COVID-19 positive patients hospitalized for other reasons and indirect expenses, the total costs reached 28 899 298 \u20ac over three years. Additionally, the hospital incurred losses of income due to postponed elective surgeries.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec021\">\n<jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The economic burden of COVID-19 at the considered university hospital was substantial. Intensive care costs were a significant driver. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the economic and disease burden of COVID-19 at a tertiary care hospital, highlighting the need for strategic planning and financial readiness to address the costs associated with pandemics.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0323200","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,13]],"date-time":"2025-05-13T17:26:59Z","timestamp":1747157219000},"page":"e0323200","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Economic impact and disease burden of COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital: A three-year analysis"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1993-2532","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mari","family":"Kanerva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kalle","family":"Rautava","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tiina","family":"Kurvinen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Harri","family":"Marttila","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Taru","family":"Finnil\u00e4","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kaisu","family":"Rantakokko-Jalava","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mikko","family":"Pietil\u00e4","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pirjo","family":"Mustonen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mika","family":"Kortelainen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,13]]},"reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0323200.ref001","article-title":"Case fatality rate of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"62","author":"Y Alimohamadi","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Prev Med Hyg"},{"issue":"6585","key":"pone.0323200.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1116","DOI":"10.1126\/science.abm4915","article-title":"The changing epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2","volume":"375","author":"K Koelle","year":"2022","journal-title":"Science"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0323200.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"782","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.12839","article-title":"Pathophysiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Review","volume":"324","author":"WJ Wiersinga","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0323200.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"649","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hlpt.2020.08.005","article-title":"COVID-19 pandemic in Finland - Preliminary analysis on health system response and economic consequences","volume":"9","author":"H Tiirinki","year":"2020","journal-title":"Health Policy Technol"},{"key":"pone.0323200.ref005","unstructured":"National Center for Health and Welfare. Available from: Queues for non-urgent specialised medical care in hospitals lengthened in autumn 2021. Press release - THL Last assessed 17th October 2024."},{"issue":"15","key":"pone.0323200.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1495","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.19759","article-title":"The COVID-19 Pandemic and the $16 Trillion Virus","volume":"324","author":"DM Cutler","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"pone.0323200.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1108\/JES-05-2022-0257","article-title":"The economics of COVID-19: a systematic literature review","volume":"50","author":"IW Rathnayaja","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Economic Studies"},{"key":"pone.0323200.ref008","unstructured":"Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Press releases about Coronavirus - Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. 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