Mayo Clinic study shows lower mortality rates among its COVID-19 patients compared to the world – KTTC

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- Patients receiving COVID-19 treatment at Mayo Clinic have a better outcome compared to hospitals around the world. That's according to a study released by Mayo on Dec. 22.

The study looked at 7,891 COVID-19 patients within the Mayo Clinic Enterprise (Minnesota, Florida, Arizona and outcare systems). Of those patients, 77 percent received some kind of COVID directed therapy, 11 percent of patients were hospitalized, 4.5 percent were admitted into the ICU and 1.1 percent died.

"How this compared to other center is that it's lower than anything else that's been reported," Mayo Clinic COVID Research Task Force Dr. Andrew Badley said.

Dr. Badley compared Mayo's numbers with the latest numbers this last week. Around the country, there were more than 20.5 million cases and 350,000 deaths, for a 1.7 percent death rate. Around the world, there have been 79 million cases and 1.7 million deaths, making for a mortality rate of 2.1 percent.

"At Mayo we saw 1.1," Badley said. "So why are these results different?"

Badley credits Mayo's success with a variety of advantages.

"We had the opportunity to learn from experience," he said.

With the deadly virus making itself known on the West coast, he leading health organization also had time to plan and prepare before outbreaks starting occurring where its hospitals were.

"So, the approach we put together was a multi-layer integrated approach. We brought together experts on everything we could think of," Badely said. "So, COVID, and immunology, and intense care unit and kidney disease and blood clots, to make sure we always had, at our fingers tips, the most up to date information about COVID."

Clinical trials also played a role in the hospital's success.

"Early in the epidemic, there weren't a lot of clinic trials. Within several months there were a lot. We had the option of choosing between clinical trails, and we could select the trails that most likely would have a meaningful impact."

This let the enterprise lead other hospitals in the fight. For example, creating a separate location to treat COVID-19 patients with antibodies.

"What we have done, and what other centers have started to do, is we have created out patient centers that are only for COVID patients," Badley said. "So, we can administer these antibodies to COVID patients and not risk infecting other patients."

Perhaps the biggest feat though, is the teamwork mentality demonstrated by those on the frontlines.

"It's a true testament to the teamwork of Mayo employees everyday, even pre-COVID. So, everybody from janitorial staff, to secretarial staff, nursing staff, to specialties; when there has been a request -- and there has been a lot of requests these last ten months -- they jump up to do it without hesitation. Because it's in the best interest of our patients."

The study took place between March 1 and July 31, 2020.

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Mayo Clinic study shows lower mortality rates among its COVID-19 patients compared to the world - KTTC