According to the DIVI intensive care register, there are far fewer intensive care beds available at the Freising Clinic than in 2020. The hospital spokesman explains why.
Freising
- This case caused a sensation: As reported, a Covid patient had to be relocated from Freising to South Tyrol last week because there was no free intensive care bed in the local clinic.
The FT now received the reaction of a reader who said that this was not necessary at the beginning of the pandemic - and used a DIVI graphic for this thesis.
According to the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, 25 intensive care beds were available to the clinic during the first lockdown in spring 2020.
The number currently fluctuates between ten and twelve.
Less beds?
- It's just counted differently
The FT asked the Freising Clinic and promptly received an answer from hospital spokesman Sascha Alexander.
"After the first lockdown, we didn't cut staff or reduced beds," he emphasized.
Rather, it depends on two other factors that statistically not even half of the beds listed at that time are currently available.
On the one hand, this has to do with a different way of counting and, on the other hand, a different way of dealing with the crisis situation.
(By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)
Point one: In the first lockdown, the hospitals were instructed by the state government to keep entire contingents free for corona patients.
“Everything that was in the vicinity of the intensive care unit was counted as an intensive care bed,” explains Alexander.
This also includes monitoring beds that are available to patients after operations but are not really intensive care beds.
"Beds from other departments were also rededicated as intensive care beds." All of this was included in the DIVI statistics, reported Alexander.
"The fact is that we could handle twelve intensive care beds in terms of personnel, but currently only ten due to illnesses."
More "normal operation" than in the first lockdown
And point two: "In spring 2020 we closed entire departments in order to be able to provide enough staff and beds for corona patients," emphasized the clinic spokesman.
Among other things, psychosomatic medicine was completely shut down at the time so that nurses from there could work, care and monitor in the intensive care unit - with the result that, as also reported, psychological problems have worsened in untreated patients.
“This time, we haven't shut down other departments completely, but until now 'only' postponed operations that can be planned.” This time, you maintain as much normal operation as possible.
Emergency supplies must be guaranteed regardless of Corona.
Sascha Alexander, spokesman for the Freising Clinic
Nevertheless, according to the clinic spokesman, two additional monitoring beds were installed this week in the department for stroke patients, the so-called stroke unit.
Here, patients cannot be supplied with ventilators that require intubation.
However, oxygen bottles and masks are available.
"Regardless of this," emphasizes Alexander, "emergency care must be guaranteed."
Read more: Even before the new disaster occurred, a group of nurses from the Freising SOS Clinic had radioed.
The hospital executives have dealt with the criticism in the anonymous letter in detail and have even called out politicians for help.