The Seoul Metropolitan Government started a conversation with the medical community over the issue of designating an existing nursing hospital as a’nursing hospital dedicated to infectious diseases’ so that it can provide both corona treatment and caring services for patients in need. On the 18th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government issued an administrative order to a nursing hospital in the Seoul area to use 1% of the licensed beds for corona19 quarantine, but criticism at the site that “there was no consultation even though the medical personnel and facilities were extremely insufficient.” It was according to what came out.
Against “one-sided executive order”… Seoul City, “Second Consultation”
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On the morning of the 18th, workers who participated in the orientation held at the’Nuru Nursing Hospital’ in Gangnam-gu, designated by the city as the city’s first infectious disease-only nursing hospital, are wearing protective clothing and protective equipment. [연합뉴스]
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On the 22nd, Park Yoo-mi, head of the city’s Citizen Health Bureau, said, “We discussed with the Korea Nursing Hospital Association, an infectious internal medicine specialist, and the head of a nursing hospital (on the issue of designating a nursing hospital dedicated to infectious diseases) on the 21st.” After opening, we are discussing with related hospitals to operate two more (359 beds).” According to Director Park, the discussion on the 21st is a’second meeting’ held after consultations with the Seoul Medical Association and Seoul Hospital Association on the 5th.
The reason that the Seoul Metropolitan Government has emphasized the consultation is due to the backlash that it has been designated as a nursing hospital exclusively for infectious diseases without communication with the nursing hospital. On the 18th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government issued an administrative order to submit 1% of the licensed beds to hospitals for nursing homes with more than 100 beds in the Seoul area as corona 19 releasers. According to this, each nursing hospital had to submit a plan for securing beds by the 22nd.
Patients unable to return to nursing hospital after corona treatment
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![On the Blue House National Petition bulletin board, the family of a corona 19 quarantine released a petition saying, ″Please help a corona quarantine breaker in a nursing hospital with nowhere to go.’ [청와대 국민청원 게시판 캡처]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/22/79f5c1c4-59f6-4dcd-9ba4-6d6fafe5e13a.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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On the Blue House National Petition bulletin board, the family of a corona 19 quarantine released a petition saying, ″Please help a corona quarantine breaker in a nursing hospital with nowhere to go.’ [청와대 국민청원 게시판 캡처]
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The reason for the designation of a nursing hospital exclusively for infectious diseases by the Seoul Metropolitan Government is because there have been quarantine releases who have been neglected because they have suffered from Corona 19, although care is required due to underlying diseases and the elderly. In fact, on the 8th, the family of a quarantine releaser posted a message on the Blue House National Petition bulletin board saying, “Please help a corona releasing person in a nursing hospital with no place to go”.
Petitioner said, “People who had coronavirus could not be hospitalized (to a nursing hospital) even if a voice comes out because they can get it again. If you are not a patient, you can self-isolate even in the mountains, but the mother is a patient who needs 24-hour nursing care. All. Please help the family and mother with’corona scarlet letters’ in this nursing hospital group infection.”
Lack of manpower and facilities… Nursing hospitals are not willing to take charge of infectious diseases
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![On the afternoon of the 31st of last month, officials in protective clothing at the Smile Medical Center in Guro-gu, Seoul, are transporting patients to the next building to keep them away from the hospital room. [뉴스1]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/22/b248dffd-1431-415a-a266-83130f815843.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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On the afternoon of the 31st of last month, officials in protective clothing at the Smile Medical Center in Guro-gu, Seoul, are transporting patients to the next building to keep them away from the hospital room. [뉴스1]
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However, the nursing hospital also had a situation. This is because most of the elderly patients with high COVID-19 mortality rate are in nursing hospitals, and more manpower and facilities were required to combine COVID-19 treatment with existing care services. In particular, there were concerns about fatigue as the medical staff had to take on tasks such as beautifying facilities and transferring patients in a cohort (same group) isolated state, and even taking care of care services if a caregiver was not found.
Director Park Yoo-mi said, “When you first want to run a nursing hospital dedicated to infectious diseases, a lot of people are burdened with medical personnel,” and “the medical staff sometimes left.” A representative example is the Misodeul Nursing Hospital in Guro-gu, Seoul, which was notified of the designation of a hospital dedicated to infectious diseases without quarantining a cohort of medical staff due to a group infection in December.
Seoul City, “Support for personnel and education… Management of 4 stages of confirmation of nursing hospital”
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![On the morning of November 18, last year, in the briefing room of the Seoul City Hall, quarantine control officer Park Yoomi announces the current status of the COVID-19 outbreak in Seoul and measures for step 1.5 to distancing society. [연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/22/d7129f14-391c-428f-9109-d0bcc8cd2757.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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On the morning of November 18, last year, in the briefing room of the Seoul City Hall, quarantine control officer Park Yoomi announces the current status of the COVID-19 outbreak in Seoul and measures for step 1.5 to distancing society. [연합뉴스]
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The Seoul Metropolitan Government said, “We will discuss and solve this problem by discussing it with (the nursing hospital side)”. “In the case of Gangnam Neru Nursing Hospital, which opened on the 19th, we had time to dissipate patients and arrange equipment and facilities before opening. We are supporting manpower.” In addition, he said, “We have even completed a simulation of how to respond to actual patients, including infectious medicine specialists,” and “We will support the two hospitals that have not been operated in this way.”
Director Park said, “In the future, we will designate nursing hospitals in the order of ▶ the hospital where the corona 19 confirmed case occurred ▶ the national nursing hospital ▶ the facilities and equipment are secured, and the hospitals that are determined to be suitable for the city are given priority. Also, “If there is a confirmed case in a nursing hospital in the future, ① if there is a severe or moderate symptom ② if it is asymptomatic or mild and needs to be provided with care services ③ if it is not a confirmed person but needs self-isolation due to close contact and needs care services ④ corona isolation After release, we want to classify and manage in 4 stages, such as when admitted to a nursing hospital.”
![According to Article 36 of the Enforcement Regulations of the Medical Act, patients with infectious diseases are excluded from admission to nursing hospitals. [국가법령정보센터 캡처]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/22/c22c27e1-90d2-44a3-8e8f-397660e8e2ad.jpg?w=900&ssl=1)
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According to Article 36 of the Enforcement Regulations of the Medical Act, patients with infectious diseases are excluded from admission to nursing hospitals. [국가법령정보센터 캡처]
– However, the designation of a nursing hospital dedicated to infectious diseases remains a problem as legal issues such as violations of the medical law can be an obstacle. This is because Article 36 (Operation of Nursing Hospitals) of the Enforcement Regulations of the Medical Act stipulates that’infectious disease patients, infectious diseases doctors, and pathogen holders are not eligible for admission to nursing hospitals’.
Reporter Heo Jeong-won [email protected]
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