During the COVID-19 pandemic, most burn units were operational, although access to standard care was reduced globally, according to a study published in Burns. Telemedicine utilization increased among patients with burns, but low income was independently linked with reduced access to burn care. Laura Pomper Maier, MD, PhD, and colleagues sought to determine whether the standard of care changed globally for patients with burns during the pandemic. A total of 234 burn units in 43 countries completed the Burn Care Survey questionnaire, designed to amass data on the capacity to provide care by burn units. The study team found that although the presence of burn surgeons did not change during the pandemic, the numbers of anesthetists and dedicated nursing staff were reduced. Therefore, the capacity to manage patients with burn injury in all age groups was negatively affected.
