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One of the main health plans in the region, Unimed Santa Bárbara d’Oeste e Americana has felt the reflections of the new coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).
In the US unit, changes were made in the flow of care and the safety of health professionals.
As of Saturday morning, there were six employees in home isolation, including two with a positive diagnosis and no hospitalized patients with the disease.
As predicted by infectious diseases in the municipality, there is an expectation of an increase in the demand for care in the coming weeks in the unit.
For the hospital’s superintendent of health care, Gustavo Quinteiro, the region is experiencing “apparent calm” regarding the disease, which may change in late May.
He spoke about the matter to LIBERAL this Saturday, via email. Read the main excerpts.
What were the main changes at the Unimed hospital in Americana due to the pandemic?
Since the appearance of the first cases in China in late 2019, and especially in January, we have experienced significant changes in the healthcare market. One of the first sensitive sectors was purchasing. With that, we begin a new planning of input management.
In view of the first cases in Brazil, Unimed Santa Bárbara d’Oeste e Americana created a crisis committee and the development of a contingency plan, based on the recommendations of the local health authorities and the Ministry of Health.
The main change is the creation of a differentiated flow for patients with respiratory problems in order to centralize human and material efforts. Flu and respiratory complaints are now centralized in the hospital annex.
In addition, three isolation rooms were assigned to the emergency room to assist patients in the emergency, and in the hospitalization regime, two rooms were allocated and prepared for isolation and support to patients with suspected Covid cases. 19.
Social distancing measures were also implemented for visits and for patients’ companions, in addition to canceling elective surgeries.
Was there an increase in the attendance of people with respiratory problems in the hospital, as was recorded in the country’s capitals?
Undoubtedly, the majority of patients seen today seek service due to symptoms and fears secondary to Covid-19. However, these statistics do not reflect that the other complaints ceased to exist.
This is also of great concern to us and is one of the reasons why we are working to promote access to Unimed clinical staff through other tools and to maintain ambulatory care safely so as not to generate lack of care.
On Sunday, LIBERAL published an interview with two infectologists in the city who said they expected the next few weeks to be due to an increase in infections and hospital demand. Do you also expect this local demand to increase?
Yes, we believe that, in fact, we still experience an “apparent tranquility” today due to the blockade carried out in the capital and in other cities of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas. However, as human trafficking returns to normal, we will have an increase in the number of cases and the prospect is that this will occur in late May.
But perhaps the reality that society will have to prepare for is that, as long as the local community does not present immunity and there is no vaccine available for Covid-19, we will always have the possibility of facing a suspected case of the disease and this means important changes. in the cultural and technical aspects of our daily life.
Maximum service can have a significant impact on health services in our region and these changes will persist in our daily life for a long time.
What is Unimed’s structure to meet high demand?
The hospital has prepared two new rooms to allow the isolated hospitalization of patients with suspicious conditions, one for children and adults with mild and moderate conditions that require observation and treatment measures without respiratory assistance, and another critical care unit, which has isolates and ventilatory support for critically and seriously ill patients. The dimensioning of the service structure was prepared according to the worst-case scenario data ever experienced elsewhere.
Today, what is the percentage of hospital beds in Americana occupied in the sector that can receive Covid-19 patients?
Today, Unimed American Hospital has an occupancy rate of 25% of beds for patients in respiratory isolation, all of whom are awaiting examinations. Currently, we have no confirmed patients admitted to our hospital.
Does the hospital in Americana have leave employees diagnosed with coronavirus or suspected infection?
From the start of the Covid-19 community broadcast, the organization has taken steps to monitor and follow up the beneficiaries and employees and members of the cooperative with suspected and confirmed cases. Currently, the organization has six employees in home isolation, two confirmed cases and four suspects.
How has Unimed treated the safety of professionals working in the hospital?
Within the organization’s contingency plan, one of the five pillars is people management. Without a doubt, human resources are the most difficult to “replace” in any scenario, especially in times of crisis like the one we face.
As a result, we are working closely with our employees and members of the cooperative to provide personal protective equipment and, together with the Quality Center, with ongoing training and guidance on its proper use.
This week, the Federal Council of Medicine issued a favorable opinion on the use of hydroxychloroquine in patients with mild symptoms. Will the hospital use the medicine under these conditions, if necessary?
The hospital relies on sound scientific evidence to create its care protocols, and to date, the drug does not offer evidence for use in all patients.
In fact, the CFM made it possible, at the discretion of the physician, to prescribe this medication and its use should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. It is very important to emphasize that, not only in the cases of Covid-19, the hospital allows and promotes clinical discussion to obtain the best result of care for the beneficiaries.
Unimed has promoted some services to help the patient, for example, identify if they have Covid-19 symptoms through an application or by phone. How relevant are these measures at the moment?
Certainly, the post pandemic will bring major changes across society, including the way it offers health care.
The intention with these measures is, in addition to remaining at the forefront of medical care, to make it possible to reduce the risks for the beneficiaries who, many times, end up exposed with the trip to the health service, and also allow them to optimize their time.
What has it been like for you, as a doctor, to deal with a situation as atypical as the new coronavirus pandemic?
In view of the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic with unprecedented humanitarian, social, economic and cultural characteristics, predictability, borders and effects, the moment creates great challenges for all personal, professional and managerial spheres.
I believe that this whole moment will serve to reaffirm the childhood dream of being able to help and care for others, and in fact we will have to relearn how to do many of the things we do today and keep our focus on the possibilities of changes in life. medical care and health operation. .
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