In the province of Alicante, hospital activity is still dominated by the flu, with many admissions due to respiratory diseases. Hospitals are currently 90 to 95 percent occupied, according to Marciano Gómez, the regional health minister, who issued a warning last week that a second peak is anticipated following Christmas.
For this reason, the majority of hospitals in the province continue to be overburdened, according to healthcare professionals and members from the CC OO and UGT unions. Patients at Marina Baixa Hospital experience this, spending a lot of time in the ED before being admitted to a ward—some staying up to 72 hours. This hospital is “full,” with about twenty patients awaiting a bed between the pre-admission unit and the emergency room.
Additional beds
On Tuesday, thirteen patients were waiting for a bed in the emergency room at Elche General Hospital. Ten additional beds—which are currently occupied—have been made available for patient admissions in two locations, and some patients are being referred to the private IMED Hospital.The Emergency Department observation room is crowded with patients awaiting admission for discharges, and beds have been set up in the short-stay service to increase hospitalisation capacity, the sources continued.
Even though there are no patients waiting for beds on the wards, 80% of patients at Alicante General Hospital have respiratory infections, putting a moderate amount of strain on the hospital’s services. Following Tuesday, when there were some lines for admittance, things have improved.
Isolation of the respiratory system
While there are few beds available in the observation section, the emergency department waiting room at Sant Joan Hospital is completely booked. Despite the fact that there are no beds available in the hallways, some patients on the wards have been waiting for release for a full day. “A lot of respiratory isolation,” the employees report.
Fourteen patients are awaiting admission to the ward at Torrevieja Hospital, which has double rooms, medium-to-high pressure, full emergency rooms, and a structural shortage of orderlies.
Alcoy Hospital’s ED is equally overcrowded, with examination rooms completely booked despite the absence of beds in the corridors. According to the CCOO union, there are no open admittance units if patients are not discharged, hence the wait time for a room is more than twenty hours. The UGT union confirms the overcrowding in the ED by citing a high number of respiratory issues and internal medicine patient admissions.
The overpopulation and strain on services are complaints made by emergency room staff.
Corridors
53 patients were waiting for a bed on the wards in the emergency department at Orihuela Hospital on Tuesday, while other patients were waiting in the hallways. “There’s been extra staff, but it’s not enough, and there’s a lack of space.” The hospital is completely packed.
There are twelve patients waiting to be admitted to a ward at the Dénia Hospital, which is also at capacity.
Last but not least, the Virgen de la Salud hospital in Elda seems to be in the most relaxed state due to its mild level of healthcare pressure and 50% occupancy in the emergency department.
Author: Derek Appleton
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