# COVID-19 and Acute Medical Care:  Impact on Dementia Patients

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2020 · $654,203

## Abstract

Abstract.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths across the globe and
overwhelmed many health systems. In Massachusetts alone, there have been over five
thousand deaths over a two month period attributable directly to COVID-19, i.e., the disease
resulting from viral infection. Lacking a vaccine or definitive treatment, slowing disease spread
such that daily demand falls within the capacity of local medical systems is the immediate
priority for this outbreak, but the changes involved with such mitigation efforts could be costly.
For example, many hospitals have implemented changes to increase capacity for COVID-19
patients, e.g., delaying elective procedures and shifting resources across service lines, which
could impact care for other conditions requiring time-sensitive care, e.g., strokes or heart
attacks. There currently is limited information on the impact of the outbreak on non-infection,
acute medical conditions. There also is little information on how hospital responses impact
patient outcomes. Given concerns about future outbreaks in other states, as well as additional
repeat outbreaks (or waves of disease transmission), there is a critical need for these types of
information. In this project, we will address two aims: 1) to examine the impact of the COVID-19
demand shock on acute medical care received in the Emergency Department (ED) or hospital;
and 2) to examine hospital responses to the demand shock and their impact on clinical event
rates. We will use novel, linked real-time data sources to address these questions overall and
for vulnerable population subgroups such as patient with dementia. Indeed, the early reports
suggest that the elderly are disproportionally affected by COVID-19 itself and potentially the
health system’s changes in response to the outbreak. These data could inform preparation for
future COVID-19 outbreak waves occurring later this year, as well as future transmissible
disease outbreaks.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10168228
- **Project number:** 3R01AG062282-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN HSU
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $654,203
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10168228

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10168228, COVID-19 and Acute Medical Care:  Impact on Dementia Patients (3R01AG062282-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10168228. Licensed CC0.

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