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AR hospital network switches to normal operation. The financial impact of the crown crisis is still unclear.
Many eagerly await this: Among other things, hairdressers and garden centers may open on Monday. The first loosening of the running of the bulls also has an impact on hospitals. You can start the latest limited range of services. At the Appenzell Ausserrhoden (Svar) association of hospitals, the decision of the Federal Council is welcome. “It is good that after weeks of a state of emergency, things gradually return to normal,” says Svar media spokesman Alain Kohler. However, Corona will keep hospitals busy for a long time. It is even more necessary not to forget all those who depend on medical care independently. For the health of these patients, it is important to be able to receive treatment, says Kohler. “Otherwise, negative consequences for those affected cannot be ruled out.”
Specifically, the Svar, like all hospitals in Switzerland, can carry out acute and predictable medical and surgical treatments and interventions. This also applies to office hours at the Herisau and Heiden locations.
The risk of infection in the hospital is lower than usual.
The number of Covid hospitalized patients has stabilized to a low level in Appenzell Ausserrhoden as elsewhere. You will be treated at Herisau Hospital. However, urgently needed medical treatments have been carried out in both the Hinterland and Heiden communities in recent weeks. Emergency departments, delivery departments, and other areas also functioned regularly.
Starting Monday, normal operation will apply again. Fearing the coronavirus, many recently refrained from going to the hospital. Such concerns are unfounded for Kohler. The risk of becoming infected with the virus in hospitals is significantly lower than in everyday life. “Thanks to strict adherence to hygiene measures and additional preventive measures in the hospital, patients are safely accompanied by their outpatient or internal hospitalization.” Pre-triage upon entering the hospital contributes to safety. This means that the patient’s routes are completely separated from each other. According to Kohler, isolation rooms, as they are necessary for people with Covid 19, are nothing new in a hospital. They are necessary for every wave of flu or other contagious diseases.
Short-term work was requested as a precautionary measure.
Despite all precautionary measures, the Svar says he is ready if a second wave of the crown pandemic arrives. Kohler also emphasizes that relaxation can only be maintained if hygiene and social distancing measures are strictly observed in everyday life.
The crown crisis has an economic impact on the hospital network. So capabilities had to be released to prepare for a wave of corona patients. However, the dreaded overload did not occur at the same time as the patients. Bed occupancy fell from 30 to 50 percent. The measures make a hole in the cash register in Svar, as CEO Paola Giuliani recently confirmed to this newspaper. The extent to which this results cannot be estimated at this time. However, no short-term work has been introduced at all three locations in Herisau and Heiden. As a precaution, the Svar has made a corresponding prior notification.