Like other hospitals in Switzerland, the Friborg hospital (HFR) has had to deal with a very high number of people in its emergency room for the past few weeks. This situation leads to a very high bed occupancy rate and long waiting times for non-vital emergencies.
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For the past few weeks, the bed occupancy rate has reached or exceeded 90% on all sites and in the majority of HFR departments. However, hospitals must have a reserve of beds of around 15% to be able to cope with variations in pathologies and patient flows, notes the HFR on Friday.
The causes of this emergency room overload are multiple. The HFR cites the aging of the population, the increase in chronically ill patients and the epidemiological catch-up after two years of the pandemic. Added to this are the effects of the heat wave and accidents related to leisure and the practice of sport.
The shortage of primary care physicians and specialists in the canton, made more acute during the summer break, also contributes to this situation. People without a doctor or whose doctor is absent have no other recourse than to go to the emergency room, notes the hospital.
The management of the Friborg cantonal hospital therefore asks the population to show understanding and patience during peak times. In the event of a minor emergency, it recommends first consulting primary care structures or online medicine platforms.
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