Community hospitals equipped to offer early COVID detection, tiered treatment
A staff uses the finger oxygen meter to inspect a patient's condition at the Jiuting community hospital in suburban Songjiang District. Medical devices are being provided to community hospitals in Shanghai on a preferential basis.
Shanghai is boosting the medical capability of local grassroots hospitals so that they can offer services like early detection and tiered treatment of COVID-19 patients, thereby relieving pressure on city-level hospitals, the municipal government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Following the launch of the second round of capacity expansion on December 29, local community health service institutions had added 1,711 oxygen suction seats, 2,562 infusion seats, 238 fever consultation rooms, 665 hospital beds and 243 cardiogram monitors by Monday, the statement added.
Drugs and supplies, including antiviral drugs (small molecule drugs), finger oxygen meters and oxygen tanks, are being provided to community hospitals on a preferential basis, to improve their ability to save and treat COVID-19 patients and prevent serious illnesses.
In detail, community hospitals have upgraded facilities and expanded space, covering infusion and oxygen therapy areas and monitoring devices for blood and oxygen, the city government revealed.
For vulnerable people, they have strengthened communications and monitoring through home visits, phone calls, WeChat and videos. Also, city-level experts are carrying out training on COVID-19 rescue and treatment through remote guidance and other forms to support community hospitals' ability.
-
A doctor checks a patient's CT scan result at the Jiuting community hospital.
Ti Gong
A key improvement is to enhance early detection and categorized treatment for serious patients, the statement pointed out.
For patients in need, "oxygen tickets" are issued to have oxygen tanks delivered to their home and carry out home oxygen therapy. For seriously ill patients, antiviral drugs are available in community hospitals under doctors' guidance for early intervention.
Meanwhile, green channels to avail of ambulances are offered by family doctors and community health institutions, which assist patients with aggravated symptoms to be transferred to higher-level hospitals in time.
Elderly people can visit oxygen therapy areas in the Xietu Subdistrict Health Care Service Center in Xuhui District.
In community hospitals in Xuhui, Songjiang and Jiading districts, various measures have been taken to enhance capacities and improve services.
In Xuhui's Xietu Subdistrict Health Care Service Center, the operation hours have been extended to 8:00pm and seven days a week, which has relieved pressure on city-level hospitals. The center has so far transferred around 10 patients using the green channel for ambulance services.
In suburban Songjiang District's Jiuting community hospital, the total number of hospital beds has been raised to 84. It has received a total of 80 patients in the last three days, compared with 24 previously, including 56 infected patients.
An elderly resident has her health condition checked at the Jiuting community hospital.
