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BIOSAFETY IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COVID ARENA FIELD HOSPITAL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC – HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY TURN A SPORTS HALL INTO A HOSPITAL?
Ana Gverić Grginić
; Služba za mikrobiologiju, Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo, Zagreb, Hrvatska
*
Snježana Krpeta
; Klinika za kožne i spolne bolesti, Klinički bolnički centar Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Davor Vagić
; Klinički bolnički centar Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Hrvatska
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems all over the world experienced burdens that required organizational adjustments and changes. The increased number of patients requiring inpatient hospital treatment in intensive care units and designated COVID isolation departments was one of the main challenges in the Croatian healthcare system reorganization. The peak occupancy of hospital beds and the workload of health personnel were highest during the second and third waves of the pandemic. Due to the need for hospital beds in conditions of overcrowded acute COVID hospitals in Zagreb, Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Dubrava Clinical Hospital, and other hospitals that had organized isolation departments for the care of COVID-19 patients, in November 2020, the sports hall Arena was integrated into the health system of the Republic of Croatia. The purpose of this field hospital was to admit patients who were at the end of hospital treatment and patients with a mild and moderately severe form of the disease who required hospital treatment. The Sisters of Charity Hospital. was in charge of the organization of Arena stationery. At the end of October 2020, the Operational Arena Headquarters was established. The general coordinator appointed by the Minister of Health established coordination for doctors, nursing, and healthcare-associated infection control with designated coordinators. Additional members of headquarters were members of the Croatian general staff of the Armed Forces, Croatian Civil Protection, and administration of the hall. IT service, the Department of Financial-Economic and Technical Affairs, the pharmacy, the biochemical laboratory, the radiology department, and other services of University Hospital Centre Sestre milosrdnice participated in the preparation of the field hospital. Cleaning and disinfection and catering services for patients and medical staff were performed by an external outsourced service. Operational headquarters held Daily meetings and briefings. Before the opening, and admission of the first patient, all procedures and guidelines were written, initial cleaning and disinfection were carried out, the water system was checked for the presence of Legionella spp., employees of outsourced services were trained in cleaning and disinfection procedures, and demonstration exercises were carried out daily. The arena field hospital was divided into clean and contaminated zones, both spatially and by different ventilation systems. The patient area had 100 patient beds and was equipped with a resuscitation area, biochemical laboratory, X-ray machine, and a pharmacy. Arena Hospital was connected by a hospital information system with Sisters of Charity Hospital., and the connection was established with other two main COVID hospitals in Zagreb. Before every change of medical staff, an educational day was held. Thirty medical doctors were employed in Sisters of Charity Hospital., 6 medical doctors from the Ministry of Defence and 112 nurses/technicians from several hospitals in Zagreb and the Ministry of Defence worked in the inpatient unit. A total of 282 patients from Zagreb, Petrinja, and Sisak were treated in Arena. No transmission accidents and hospital-acquired infections by SARS-CoV-2 virus between patients and medical staff or among medical staff were recorded. Arena field hospital ceased activation in May 2021. The cohesive strength of all medical and non-medical services involved demonstrated the ability to create an efficient and safe hospital in an area not intended for the provision of healthcare.
Ključne riječi
COVID-19; hospital; sports hall; healthcare system; biosafety
Hrčak ID:
334101
URI
Datum izdavanja:
28.7.2025.
Posjeta: 525 *