As the spread of the new coronavirus continues and the number of emergency transports by fire departments increases, the number of requests for private companies that transport patients is increasing rapidly, and there are cases where it is not possible to respond immediately.
A company that transports patients based in Oizumi-cho, Gunma Prefecture has seen a rapid increase in transport requests since last month.
On the 12th, Gunma Prefecture requested the transportation of a woman in her 90s who was confirmed to be infected with the new corona, and it took about an hour and a half to go to the woman's home and be accompanied by a company nurse to the hospital.
At this company, the number of elderly people transported has increased due to the 8th wave of infection, and there are more cases of transporting while administering oxygen after consulting a doctor's judgment.
In addition, it is said that almost every day, people who were taken to the hospital by a fire ambulance but were refused admission because they were not seriously ill and were forced to return home.
On the 12th, 10 patients were transported in one day, and depending on the day, all four vehicles were out, and there were an increasing number of cases where it was not possible to respond immediately even if there was a request.
In order to respond to requests as much as possible, we have reviewed the reception hours from 6:00 pm last month and increased the number of staff to respond to requests 24 hours a day.
Hirotaka Usui, president of a company that transports patients, said, "Both fire and private emergency services are rushing in proportion to the medical pressure. From the patient's point of view, I think it's uneasy, so I'd like you to expand the number of beds to accept them."