Hospital accepting critically ill patients What is the countermeasure? New coronavirus April 24 19:01

While the new coronavirus infection continues to spread, at hospitals that accept critically ill patients in Saitama city, some of the general wards are closed to secure staff and thorough measures are taken against nosocomial infections. Is being chased by.

The Saitama Medical Center attached to Jichi Medical University in Omiya Ward, Saitama City, started accepting severely ill patients in April.

One of the two intensive care units is dedicated to critically ill patients with the new coronavirus and accepts five people. Here, patients with impaired lung function can also be treated by sending oxygen directly into the blood using an artificial heart-lung machine called "ECMO".

It is necessary to provide treatment for critically ill patients 24 hours a day, and securing personnel has become an issue for acceptance. Therefore, we decided to close the two general wards and send the doctors and nurses who worked there to an intensive care unit for critically ill patients. By delaying less urgent surgeries, we also reduced the number of surgeries by 20% to 30%.

I especially struggled with nosocomial infection control, and doctors and nurses who enter the intensive care unit are completely separated from the entrance to the aisle so that they will not be with other staff. We also deliver medicines and medical materials, such as medical tubing, necessary for treatment to only one location.

With the risk of infection and long working hours, there are concerns among hospital staff. ”Professor Masamitsu Sanai of the medical center, who has been accepting medical treatment, said,“ I am going to see the patient in a private room, and I have to wear protective equipment alone in the middle of the night. I think there is a very big one. "

Another issue is how to increase the number of receiving hospitals. Currently, the hospital is full of beds for critically ill patients, and we have no choice but to accept new patients. We continue to encourage medical associations and university hospitals to increase the number of hospitals that can accept new patients.

Prof. Sanai said, "It is now time for all medical institutions to work together and play a role that each medical institution can do."