In Villejuif, the Gustave Roussy Institute against cancer is experimenting with the device of "hospital hotels", establishments which allow patients to be accommodated without requiring 24-hour medical surveillance. This helps to relieve congestion in certain care services.

REPORTAGE

The risk of saturation posed by the coronavirus epidemic on certain hospital services, in particular resuscitation, could allow great lessons to be drawn in the future on the organization of the care pathway.

At present, certain patients suffering from pathologies requiring heavy treatment, without however needing to be completely hospitalized, can benefit from accommodation for one or two nights.

These "hospital hotels", tested on 41 sites across France including the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif, are aimed in particular at patients who live far from their care center.

>> Find all the newspapers of the editorial staff of Europe 1 in replay and podcast here

"Without a hotel, we would be a bit stuck, because it's a five-hour drive from Nancy."

This trip to Villejuif, Edith must do it every two weeks in order to receive her treatment for lung cancer.

She arrived the day before to rest in a more comfortable hotel room than in the hospital.

"Here, it's very good. I don't need to spend the night in the hospital, it's a very good solution", she explains to Europe 1.

"Offer more hospital capacity"

His stay at around 70 euros per night is covered by the hospital, specifies Stéphane Paradou, deputy director general of the Gustave Roussy regional center for the fight against cancer.

Overnight stays are offered to patients who do not need to remain under medical supervision.

"Most of them are patients who come for very short stays, for sessions, including radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and who cannot go home at night," explains the manager.

"This makes it possible to relieve congestion or in any case to offer more hospital capacities, therefore to go faster in the care", he adds.

The two hotels at the foot of the hospital welcome up to 24 patients every night.

Last year, around 1,000 people benefited from this experimental device.