Local hospital opens intensive care department for seniors

A first-aid training class was launched at Shanghai Yodak Cardio-Thoracic Hospital, which announced today to establish its senior intensive care department.

Yan Dongfang, director of the Shanghai Private Hospital Association, said the new department represents the increasing involvement of private hospitals in the local health care sector.

The department's establishment will provide better, quicker and safer service to senior patients in the hospital, officials said.

Critical patients over the age of 60 account for more than 60 percent of patients in local leading hospitals' emergency departments, and such patients have a high mortality rate. Senior intensive care has become an important medical section, experts said.

"Due to the degeneration of organs, immunity and anti-stress ability, elderly patients are more likely to development serious and fatal complications. Seniors also have more complications with disease changes, slower recovery, long treatment, poor treatment effects and high mortality compared to younger patients," said Dr Sun Baogui, director of Shanghai Yodak's senior intensive care medicine department.