The insufficiency of means, the lack of follow-up of chronic diseases and other serious pathologies, sows concern in the north of the Lot.
Posted on Apr 19, 20 at 5:18 p.m.
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Besidesinsufficient means from which the north of Lot, Saint-Céré, Bretenoux, Biars-sur-Cère… to deal with the situation linked to coronavirus, looming concern about an increased risk of interventions linked to the lack of follow-up of chronic diseases and other pathologies. Update on the situation with the doctor Patrick Vignon, for the association “ Better Living in the North of the Lot »*.
Like everywhere in France, Occitania is experiencing a slowdown in the spread of the coronavirus. The slight drop in the number of tele-consultations, emergency room visits, hospitalizations and intensive care patients does not, however, predict a marked change in the epidemic.
In the north of the Lot, on the initiative of a number of local doctors, a videoconference was organized between the director of the Saint-Céré hospital, the head of the emergency department, the nurse manager, the director of the Lot Regional Health Agency and the representative of the Medical Association to take stock of the situation. One axis, that of Saint-Céré-Bretenoux-Biars, caught the attention because healthcare staff are infected with the virus and several establishments are infected: Ehpad (Establishment of accommodation for dependent elderly), shelters, hospital.
At Saint-Céré hospital, a lack of resources
The Saint-Céré hospital is in difficulty. The quarantine of health workers affected by the coronavirus will create overwork and replacement problems. Emergency and resuscitation personnel are being tested. We can expect a reduction in these numbers following these detections.
The establishment, planned to intervene behind Cahors, Figeac and Gourdon either in 4th recourse, is in fact on the front line to receive suspected Covid-19 patients. However, it only has two respirators and, on the resuscitation side, the anesthesiologist is alone and also in charge of the SMUR – mobile emergency and resuscitation structure – and hospital emergencies.
Serious cases are directed to Brive, Aurillac and Cahors, but the situation at Saint-Céré hospital is worrying.
Another phenomenon was raised during videoconferencing: the risk of mortality due to the lack of monitoring of chronic diseases and the failure to deal with certain pathological risks in time. In both cases, patients avoid medical spaces for fear of being infected. The activity of medical offices has dropped by 60% and that of specialists from 80 to 95% depending on the area.
The stakeholders in the videoconference remain in touch to jointly face a possible resurgence of coronavirus patients in the north of the Lot, in particular within the structures for the reception of the elderly and the Saint-Céré hospital.
Patrick Vignon, for the association “Better Living in the North of the Lot”
* For several years, the association “Better Living in the North of the Lot” has sounded the alarm, about the risk of shortage of nursing staff. La Vie Quercynoise and Actulot.fr regularly relayed its positions.
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