How is Western Austria’s largest hospital preparing for the predicted Corona fall? In the Innsbruck Clinic, things have to be much different than before. You no longer want to subordinate everything to Corona. Because that has had consequences in the past.
The pandemic is not over yet. Experts emphasize that. And they predict an increase in the number of infections in the autumn. “We are preparing for different scenarios,” said Alexandra Kofler, medical director of the Innsbruck clinic. The largest hospital in western Austria has been the center of events for the past two years, caring for a total of 700 Covid intensive care patients and was sometimes hermetically sealed. Such a state of emergency should no longer exist.
The stated goal is to operate as normally as possible: “Of course the clinic takes serious cases. That’s our job. But care should primarily be provided close to home in the district hospitals and the general practitioners,’ explains Kofler. This is the only way to prevent “we have to reduce other services again”.
Still not all operations made up
The effects of this drastic measure are still felt today. A number of departments are still making up for postponed operations. “It’s not moving that fast,” says Kofler, pointing out that nurses and doctors now need to take a deep breath after two years of constant stress. Countless overtime was worked.
In the first wave, many beds were blocked by Corona
In the first wave, many beds were reserved for corona patients. That is no longer part of the strategy either. “We have learned to act flexibly,” emphasizes the medical director. Flexibility is the key. What does that mean in practice? Kofler advocates bed coordinators who monitor resources for all of Tyrol. That worked well in the intensive care unit. The staff remains a limiting factor. Flexibility is also required here: “The pandemic has shown that high specialization can be problematic, especially for nurses.”
Kofler does not believe in a general vaccination obligation. But she advises vaccination: “It works! Lately we had hardly any vaccinated intensive care patients. And if they did, most of them had additional illnesses.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
