“It’s a very complex situation; “If you have the flu and have normal symptoms, you shouldn’t go to the emergency room. “

“It’s a very complex situation; “If you have the flu and have normal symptoms, you shouldn’t go to the emergency room. “Inaki Osorio

Salamanca women living in Ourense Pilar Garzon From 2022, he will serve as the president of the province’s College of Physicians.After taking office, she became First woman in history to serve as dean of the Medical School of Galicia. His specialty is emergency medicine: Work in emergency services One of the units of the Ourense Hospital Complex (CHUO) serves as a thermometer for the evolution of the epidemic, thanks to its high level of care —over 200 comments a day from adults—, and because it also absorbs some of the demand—well Failure to make timely appointment with GPor due to improper use of resources – Health Centers and PAC are not responsible.

At the peak of influenza and new coronavirus infections, CHOO occupancy rate reached 89%Garzón assured that the health care situation is “very complex, whether it is primary care, emergency or hospital level”.

The spread of respiratory viruses, which will coexist once the pandemic is over—influenza, which causes influenza; Sars-Cov-2, which causes COVID-19; and RSV, which in infants can lead to hospital admissions with bronchiolitis—makes this especially true. Impact on aging towns and cities such as Ourense Province

.Infections tend to be milder in younger and healthier people May cause severe decompensation in patients with underlying diseaseadvanced age, or a suppressed immune system due to treatment.

“It’s very saturated with professionals”

“Our health situation is already very strained. Primary care has long been physician-extended and self-insured. As patients increase during this peak period, this number will increase even more. “The profession is very saturated,” Garzón warned.

“We focus on acute pathology at the health level because there is no such prevention capability and because the demand for acute pathology is so high that it supersedes the focus on prevention, care and control”

“If primary care, which is the basic backbone of health care, is unable to absorb large numbers of patients, they end up in emergency rooms, creating a vicious cycle. We need all parts of the health care system to function well”, emphasizes the Dean of Ourense Medical School.

“first, We have a prevention question. We focus on acute pathology at the health level because there is no such preventive capacity because the demand for acute pathology is so high that it supersedes the focus on prevention, care and control,” he noted.

‘Primary care cannot discharge the large number of patients arriving’

In the current situation with More people consulted for viral infection – Interactions during the Christmas period increase infection rates – “Primary care cannot discharge the large number of arriving patients.” In the next segment, at the emergency room of the Ourense hospital, Professionals feel ‘extremely devastated’

.

“In the emergency department, extra efforts have been made over the past two years, and the staffing system has reached 200%; “We no longer have the capacity to take on more efforts. “

In this regard, Garzon recalled Service situation “tense” For more than a year, Sergas had to turn to professionals in other fields to bolster the team.Currently – Garzón details – they are working Ten doctors in the morning and the same number in the afternoonalthough There are only four people on the night shift.The president of the professional association believes that There should be “one or two” more doctors Morning and afternoon courses and “most importantly”, evening intensive courses.

Based on his experience as a team member, Garzón confirmed that “in the emergency department, they have made extra efforts over the past two years and people are systematically working at 200%; “We no longer have the capacity to take on more effort. ”

emergency plan Provisions in the field of health Extra beds to absorb increases in demand and income In this virus wave. “The problem we face is basic: there are a limited number of doctors. Not only does the physical space come into play, but colleagues are also overloaded,” reiterates Garzón.

“Staff are working hard to try to make the flow of patients as flexible as possible”

As an example, he said, last week“have The internal medicine department treated more than 300 patientswhich represents a huge effort by professionals. Most people work overtime for free Trying to discharge many patients. Staff are making a huge effort to try to make the flow of patients as flexible as possible. ”

General Hospital inpatient building.

As Sergas pointed out thirteen days ago, the president of the Medical Association recommended the wearing of masks in health centers. “This is a highly recommended control measure”.In addition, Garzon called for Use healthcare “responsibly”, avoid going to the emergency room with even mild symptoms. “With mild flu symptoms, you shouldn’t go to the emergency room.”