Patients who leave the Emergency Department without being seen. Has COVID-19 affected this phenomenon?

Background And Aim: Patients who present to an Emergency Department (ED) and leave without being seen by a physician represent a safety concern because they may become severely ill and experience adverse events as a result of lacking or delayed ED treatment. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the increasing number of patients accessing care through the ED in Italy and throughout the world has had implications for health policies.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study that included all ED visits from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2018 in the Perugia University Hospital has been carried out.