Bottlenecks in the hospital: Chief physician describes the dramatic situation – "Decide every hour what is still possible"

Created: 08/09/2022, 05:00

By: Sebastian Grauvogl

Has a lot to do: Dr.

Steffen Herdtle, Chief Physician Central Emergency Room and Pandemic Officer at Agatharied Hospital.

© Agatharied Hospital

Too many patients, not enough staff: The situation in the Agatharied hospital is dramatic.

In an interview, Chief Physician Dr.

Steffen Herdtle, what that means for the supply.

Agatharied

– Those responsible in the Rosenheim Miesbach rescue service district described the situation at the municipal clinics as “simply dramatic”.

The combination of massive staff shortages and high patient numbers would increasingly affect operations in the emergency rooms.

How this is expressed in the Agatharied hospital, what the consequences are and how countermeasures can be taken is explained by the chief physician in the central emergency room and at the same time the district hospital’s pandemic officer, Dr.

Steffen Herdtle, in conversation with our newspaper.

Massive staff shortages and high patient numbers: chief physician describes the situation in the hospital

Dr.

Herdtle, in the joint statement from the clinics in the emergency services district, there was talk of a temporary deregistration of the emergency rooms.

Does this also appear in Agatharied and what does it mean?

dr

Steffen Herdtle: Unfortunately, we too had to resort to this method repeatedly recently.

Put simply, we are telling the emergency services that they have to avoid Agatharied for a few hours.

However, we are talking about mild to moderate illnesses or injuries.

For all other cases, of course, we continue to have a functional shock room, heart catheter and stroke ambulance.

Exactly the latter is also the reason why we have to protect ourselves from a complete overflow of the emergency room.

This is the only way we can ensure the care of life-threatening cases.

By the way: everything from the region is also available in our regular Miesbach newsletter.

What about planned recordings on station?

dr

Steffen Herdtle:

Here, too, we are forced to make quick decisions.

Since the occupancy can change every hour, we are in constant contact with the resident doctors and tell them in real time who we can and cannot admit.

At the same time, the colleagues on the ward look at who might be eligible for dismissal again.

But here, too, the current situation makes planning difficult for us, because the care and rehabilitation facilities are also overloaded.

Dramatic situation in the hospital: "At a time when we increasingly need capacities for corona cases"

Does this mean that operations will be postponed again?

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dr

Steffen Herdtle:

This is unavoidable.

To make matters worse, we are still pushing ahead with a wave of interventions that have not been carried out from the past two years.

On the one hand, of course, we feel sorry for the patients because we always want to live up to our obligations to them.

On the other hand, it also affects us economically.

And this at a time when we increasingly need capacities for Corona cases again.

So the severity of the disease is increasing again?

dr

Steffen Herdtle: That's what we observe.

In May we had an average of five to six corona patients in the isolation ward.

We are currently always fluctuating around the limit of 20, from which we also have to activate the second Covid station.

The intensive care area is also working to capacity again with three corona cases at the moment.

A total of twelve beds are currently available here.

However, since the (as of Wednesday) three Covid patients occupy a part, only eight places can currently be operated for non-corona patients.

After all, the death rate has fallen compared to when the pandemic began.

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Keyword shortage of staff: what do you think of the idea that nursing staff who tested positive can still work in the appropriate wards?

dr

Steffen Herdtle:

To be honest, we don't even ask this question because the employees affected are usually really ill.

Absences of three to four weeks are not uncommon, not even among younger colleagues.

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Could a further tightening of the visiting rules make a difference?

dr

Steffen Herdtle:

We try to avoid that in any case.

We find time and again how conducive the visits of relatives are to the recovery of the patients.

It is all the more important, however, that everyone adhere to the mask and test obligation.

Unfortunately, our staff often has to engage in time-consuming and strenuous discussions here as well.

It is simply becoming increasingly difficult to explain the infection protection requirements in the hospital in view of the largely normal social life outside.

You'll definitely feel the consequences of being lax outside, won't you?

dr

Steffen Herdtle:

In any case.

I'm almost inclined to say that every forest and lake festival has an impact.

The pandemic is not over.

However, I would also like to emphasize that everyone can feel safe in the hospital.

And anyone with a serious condition receives the best possible treatment.

I speak not only for us, but also for all established colleagues in the practices.

You can find more current news from the district of Miesbach and the Tegernsee region at Merkur.de/Miesbach.