–
The new isolation department of the Radboudumc is the most advanced department of its kind in Europe. The building was recently opened and is fully equipped to treat infectious patients in isolation. There are patients with tuberculosis and other lung-related infectious diseases. But patients with the extremely dangerous and often deadly Ebola or Lassa virus can also be treated here in the safest and most innovative way. Patients with monkeypox probably won’t come to the ward, just like people with covid.
Completely closed
There are five locations in the Netherlands where people with extremely contagious viruses are admitted. Until now, at Radboudumc, this happened in a ‘normal’ wing of the hospital that is being closed. But that was not optimal. “If only because with a patient who comes in by ambulance you first have to go through the entire hospital,” cites Chantal Bleeker, professor of Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases at Radboudumc, as an example. “And you can never get a department like this shut down completely.”
Five proven patients
Fortunately, there are no storms with these dangerous viruses in the Netherlands. In the past fifteen years, this involved five (proven) patients, Bleeker says. Nevertheless, it is necessary to have the beds ready should a (suspicious) patient arrive. There are four such units in the new building. The recently discovered monkeypox is not so contagious that the department is used for this. This sometimes happens abroad.
Tuberculosis
In addition, there are ten rooms for tuberculosis patients, which still regularly occur in the Netherlands (particularly through patients who come from abroad). In principle, the department will not be used for covid patients, although this is possible if, for example, a new, much more dangerous variant is created. Bleeker: “We are therefore prepared for this.”
Latest techniques
The department uses the latest insights and techniques to make care for employees, family and patients as safe as possible. The ambulance can park in the building, the patient is in a closed isolation room. Each unit has a separate entrance and exit, which are completely closed. It is necessary to protect healthcare workers well, because someone who gets Ebola has a 50 percent chance of dying from it.
cooling vests
It takes a care worker twenty minutes to put on the complete personal protective equipment. The cooling vests under the clothing are new, because the temperature in the suit can rise enormously. The units are suitable for IC care. Also new is the ‘VAR support’ outside the unit. For example, there can be direct contact between nurse, doctor or patient, without the risk of the virus spreading. “There is someone here 24 hours a day to keep an eye on everything around the patient,” says Bleeker.
Strict surveillance
Used materials and basically everything that comes out of the room must be disposed of in special waste bins. These barrels are stored under strict surveillance, because the waste can fall into the wrong hands and be used as a chemical weapon. “It is currently the newest department for this type of infectious diseases in all of Europe, where we have been able to introduce many innovations,” says Bleeker.
Cross-border
Radboudumc has a great deal of in-house knowledge of infectious diseases and pandemics. Radboud and RIVM have been part of the Europese PANDEM-2-project† Bleeker: “We are going to do more research within Europe into how best to deal with pandemics. There is much to learn from this cross-border collaboration, including when it comes to the treatment of patients and the safety of your employees. We also conduct this research from this new department. We share the insights with the other parties. We use the units for training and education. We look at and test innovations in order to be better prepared for future pandemics.”
Also interesting: Will there be a national pandemic center?
–
