Fandakova: The director of the Fourth City remains, this is not the time to resign

For 66 minutes, the coronavirus patient waited to be admitted to the hospital. This is unacceptable, clear rules and algorithms are needed, according to the mayor

The director of the Sofia Fourth City Hospital, Associate Professor Arkady Ivanov, remains in office. This was announced by the mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova.

At the end of last week, the Minister of Health, Professor Kostadin Angelov, demanded that it be removed after there was a case at the medical institution of delaying the admission of a patient with coronavirus.

I received the written explanations from the Assoc. Prof. Ivanov, as well as all inspection documentation. The recordings were downloaded from the cameras by the minute. Explanations were also taken from everyone involved in the delay in receiving the coronavirus patient. The delay and permanence of the ambulance according to the records is 66 minutes. The city’s fourth hospital has a patient admission algorithm that all staff are familiar with. There are gaps in compliance with these standards. The first delay is more than 30 minutes until the doctor on duty arrives. It is a very serious delay. The second delay is due to the conversations between the doctor on duty and the head of the ward, as well as with the emergency doctor, instead of acting, time has passed in the conversations, this is unacceptable! We need all the doctors, nurses and paramedics, and they need clear rules in this situation, I don’t think this is the time to quit. and the organization and work have improved and I will personally supervise this, “said Fandakova.

Yesterday he spoke with the Minister of Health about creating a better organization and algorithm for patients who arrive alone at hospitals but not for hospitalization.

This is a gap that would load the system: if a patient enters from the outside, they will be examined in the isolator, if it turns out that they have a coronavirus, but it is not for hospitalization, they must call an ambulance to bring them home, and this will do make the system very difficult. We are talking about these problems with the minister, we are also looking for a solution with the director of the Emergency Service, with whom I spoke this morning ”, added Fandakova.

Regarding the request for support to Associate Prof. Ivanov, he commented that “he is one of the best surgeons and it is normal for his patients to support him”. But he stressed that his decision was not emotional, but reasonable in a situation of pandemic and acute need for doctors at this time.

In 8 places for patients with coronavirus in the Hospital of the Fourth City, 14 people have already been admitted.

In Sofia, 979 people were newly infected on the last day and 694 were hospitalized, 42 more than the day before. Fandakova assured that there are still places in municipal hospitals for patients who need treatment.