For the third time since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, many French hospitals have launched their “white plan”. Here’s what that means in practice for patient care.
- More than 25 French hospitals have currently triggered the white plan.
- The white plan is orchestrated by the director of the hospital.
Occitanie, PACA, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes… Faced with the worsening of the Covid-19 epidemic, many regional health agencies have asked public and private hospitals to activate their “white plan”. But what does this enigmatic expression mean?
Modification of the usual health strategy
The white plan is a device registered in the law since 2004, which modifies the usual health strategy of hospitals during an emergency. This can be, for example, a major wave of Covid-19 of course, but also the attacks of November 13, 2015 or even particularly virulent flu or gastroenteritis epidemics.
In concrete terms, the white plan makes it possible to “plan the rapid and rational implementation of the essential means in the event of an influx of victims in a hospital establishment”, details the ARS of the PACA region. Its activation sets up crisis cells, reassigns staff within overwhelmed services, recalls carers on leave and initiates deprogramming of operations in stages.
Operation cancellations
“The moment when the person who is followed in the hospital is deprogrammed is from the moment the hospital calls him”, explains Martin Hirsch, director general of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP) on Europe 1. “As long as the hospital has not called, the patient is taken into account and we will take care of him. These are medical criteria and doctors who are able to estimate whether to take charge of a patient. patient despite the difficulties or if it is possible to reschedule the intervention a few weeks later”, he continues.
Finally, it should be noted that all emergency services continue to operate normally, even when the white plan is triggered.
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