The region has triggered the white plan as hospitals are increasingly pressurized by the return of viruses.
- The Grand Est Regional Health Agency (ARS) has asked all public and private hospitals in Alsace to activate their “white plan”.
- The hospital situation in Haut and Bas-Rhin is currently tense for several reasons: the epidemic of bronchiolitis in infants, the return of the flu and Covid-19, the influx of elderly patients requiring hospitalization, or still the low number of beds.
- The ARS Grand Est calls for the “coordinated mobilization” of all health professionals to “support and strengthen highly stressed hospital teams”.
Epidemic of bronchiolitis, return of flu and Covid-19, influx of patients… As the situation is increasingly explosive in Alsatian hospitals, the Grand Est Regional Health Agency (ARS) has asked all public and private establishments in the territory to activate their “white plan”.
Tensions on medical and nursing staff
This internal mobilization plan allows hospital directors to reorganize themselves to deal with an exceptional health situation, for example, by increasing bed capacity, by rescheduling operations considered non-urgent, or by modifying staff schedules. .
As the ARS points out in a press release, the Haut and Bas-Rhin hospitals are currently under pressure for several reasons: “the epidemic of bronchiolitis in infants, an increased number of vulnerable people treated for flu, Covid-19 or other respiratory viruses, an influx of elderly patients requiring hospitalization”, or, more systemic, “the low number of beds available at the end of emergency services due to pressure on medical and nursing staff”.
Do not give up care despite the white plan
The ARS Grand Est invites “coordinated mobilization” of all health professionals, including those in the city, for “support and strengthen hospital teams in high demand”. The agency points out, however, that activation of the white plan should not lead to forgoing care, and invites those suffering to consult their primary care doctor, or a walk-in care center. “In all cases, the population is asked to call 15 before going to the emergency room.”
This activation of the white plan comes three days after the FO union of the University Hospitals of Strasbourg (HUS) took legal action to denounce the extremely tense situation in the emergency room, underlines France Info. On the night of December 12 to 13, 61 patients went there, for only 30 places available.
