University Hospital Graz: Shifts in hip operations due to lack of intensive care

University Hospital Graz: Shifts in hip operations due to lack of intensive care

In the University Hospital Graz, there was a unfortunate situation that takes many families to sleep. A young girl named Lisa experienced three times that her planned operating date was postponed. According to the university clinic, this was necessary due to the lack of capacities in the intensive care unit of pediatric surgery. In the case of such complex interventions, later monitoring in the intensive care unit is essential.

The clinic regrets the situation and said in an interview with the “Kleine Zeitung” that all eight intensive care beds were occupied. Often seriously ill children have to enjoy priority, which means that planned operations such as Lisa that have to be laid in these cases. The fates of these affected children are then in the foreground, which illustrates the scarce resources in the healthcare system.

criticism of capacity

The repeated shift of operations raises questions about the general capacity in the Austrian health system. Especially in pediatric surgery, the existing beds often do not seem to be enough to adequately cover both planned and emergencies. Many affected people feel helpless and disappointed in such moments because the psychological stress for families is enormous.

The University Hospital Graz has tried to open the reasons for the duty difficulties. This was done in the discussion about the quality and availability of medical services in Austria. At this point, a broader discussion about investments in the health system and the need to increase the supply capacity is essential. The responsibility for this is not only with the clinic lines, but also requires a political decision and long -term planning.

The example of Lisa is unfortunately not an isolated case. Again and again there are reports of postponed interventions that indicate the tense situation in the clinics. The concerns and needs of families should be weighted more in the public debate, since they are often the direct consequence of the system problems. The reports about scarce resources in the intensive care units are increasing, and the question remains: How can adequate medical care be ensured?

For more information on this topic, See current reporting on www.heute.at .