Increasing number of elderly and children going to the doctor and being hospitalized due to heat

Thousands of people visit and receive medical treatment every day

In the momenthotToday, the most miserable are still the people who go to the hospital. At Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, in the morning, many parents bring their children and siblings to see a doctor and get treatment for various diseases. Although the hospital has tried to arrange a cool waiting area, due to the summer weather, the large number of people gathered here makes the space here hot and stuffy. Doctors, nurses, patients, and relatives are more tired and exhausted...

Waiting area at the Examination Department, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Thanh Chung

Information from the Examination Department, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital: At this time, the department receives 500 - 700 pediatric patients for examination each day; sometimes up to 800 - 900 patients; an increase of 10 - 20% compared to the same period last year. The number of hospitalized patients accounts for 1/4 of the number of patients for examination.

Doctor Vuong Thi Minh Nguyet - Head of the Examination Department said: Common diseases in this hot weather are infectious diseases such as hand, foot and mouth disease, chickenpox; dermatitis, impetigo, allergic rash, rash fever, viral fever; respiratory diseases, pneumonia, bronchitis; gastrointestinal diseases, diarrhea, food poisoning.

Common diseases of children in this hot weather are infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, digestive diseases... Photo: Thanh Chung

At the Department of Respiratory Medicine,Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics HospitalAt this time, the number of patients being treated still often fluctuates above 130 people (higher than the current number of beds of 120). However, there are times when the number of patients admitted to the department is up to 150-160 children...

According to doctors of the Respiratory Department: The reason for the increase in patients is due to the sudden change in weather from hot to rainy and vice versa, causing bacteria and viruses to develop; children's bodies cannot adapt in time, leading to respiratory tract inflammation and infection. In addition, improper use of air conditioning and eating cold foods also cause children to get sick.

Patients come to register for medical examination and treatment at Vinh City General Hospital. Photo: Thanh Chung

Similar to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, in this hot weather, the number of patients coming for examination and treatment at Vinh City General Hospital is also very large. It is estimated that every day the hospital receives from 2,500 - 3,000 patients for examination and 800 - 900 patients for inpatient treatment. Most of the patients coming here are elderly, suffering from diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, respiratory tract, etc.

Going to the clinic on a hot day, Mrs. Tran Thi Tan, 68 years old, in Hung Hoa commune, Vinh city, like many other patients, sat in front of the clinic door, waiting to see the patient's queue number, waiting for her turn. Mrs. Tan said: "To avoid the heat, I came to the hospital at 6 am, but there were too many patients, I waited for a long time but still had not had my turn... The hospital is cool but waiting for a long time is tiring, headache, dizziness".

Patients and their families wait tiredly for their turn to see a doctor. Photo: Thanh Chung

Extreme weather and intense heat are causing the number of patients hospitalized at Vinh City General Hospital to increase. Doctor Doan Thi Quy, Department of Tropical Diseases, said: Normally, the department receives about 10-12 inpatients per day. During hot weather like this, the number of patients admitted to the department doubles. Patients admitted to the department often suffer from digestive and respiratory diseases, seasonal flu, Covid-19, etc.

Hospital accompanies patients

Faced with the difficulties that patients and their families face when going to see a doctor or receiving treatment in hot weather, hospitals have been implementing many fundamental solutions to effectively accompany and support them.

Watching the queue number, waiting for your turn. Photo: Thanh Chung

Doctor Vuong Thi Minh Nguyet, Head of the Examination Department, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said: Through research, we have determined that there are two "peak" times for medical examination and treatment on hot days, which are early morning and late afternoon. During these two peak hours, the Department proactively arranges additional human resources and examination rooms to support patients in order to help patients get examined early, go home early, avoid the heat and go home the same day.

Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital arranges a separate waiting area for patients' relatives. Photo: Thanh Chung

Similarly, Vinh City General Hospital also requires medical staff to start work earlier than usual, receiving patients at 6am to reduce waiting time. The hospital arranges waiting rooms to ensure the standard of “cool in summer, warm in winter”; and adds more electric fans and air conditioners in treatment rooms.

In addition to the above solutions, Vinh City General Hospital has increasingly recommended that patients use information technology utilities to get a queue number to avoid traveling during hot weather and reduce waiting time. Doctor Pham Van Son - Deputy Director of Vinh City General Hospital said.

Increase fans for examination waiting rooms and treatment rooms. Photo: Thanh Chung

With the use of utility software, patients can register for examination right at home. After examination, patients can find a place to rest, eat and drink while waiting for test results. When the results are available, the utility software will invite the patient back to the clinic for consultation, prescription, and medication.

The hospital does not expect the measures implemented to be 100% effective, but each measure only needs to be partially effective to help patients have less trouble.

Vinh City General Hospital strengthens reception and guidance to help patients conveniently receive medical examination and treatment. Photo: Thanh Chung

To prevent overload during this hot season, the treatment departments of all hospitals have been trying to improve treatment efficiency, shorten treatment days, actively advise patients to treat at home... to limit the number of patients having to share beds.

Prevention is better than cure

During hot weather, disease prevention is extremely important. Doctor Bui Anh Son - Head of the Respiratory Department, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital stated: In the summer, families should limit children from going out, to crowded places, wear masks when going to crowded places; pay attention to disease prevention hygiene; fully vaccinate children according to the national immunization program. In eating and drinking, children need to eat cooked food and drink boiled water, prepare food appropriately; supplement water and fruit for children; do not let children eat cold food taken directly from the refrigerator or freezer.

During this hot season, the number of patients admitted to the Tropical Diseases Department, Vinh City General Hospital has doubled compared to normal days. Photo: Thanh Chung

Doctor Doan Thi Quy, Department of Tropical Diseases, Vinh City General Hospital also recommends: To prevent diseases in hot weather, the elderly need to drink enough water, from 1.5 liters of water/day or more, drink evenly throughout the day, and should not wait until thirsty to drink.

Elderly people should avoid going out in the sun during peak hours from 10am to 4pm. If you are in an air-conditioned room, the temperature should be maintained between 25 and 27 degrees.^oC. The temperature used should not differ by more than 7 degrees Celsius from the outside temperature. Before leaving the air-conditioned room, you need to increase the temperature or turn off the air conditioner, sit and rest in the room to let the body slowly adapt. People with cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, diabetes... need to comply with taking medication, controlling blood pressure, blood sugar according to the doctor's instructions.

Doctor Doan Thi Quy, Department of Tropical Diseases, Vinh City General Hospital recommends disease prevention in extremely hot weather. Photo: Thanh Chung

Doctors clearly state: The elderly and children are those who are poorly adapted to the environment, on hot days they should not go outside to prevent heatstroke - sunstroke... When suffering from heatstroke, the body's ability to clear heat is reduced, causing fatigue, headache, dizziness, and in severe cases can lead to death.

When detecting a person with heat stroke, quickly call the emergency service 115 or local medical services; while waiting for the ambulance, move the person with heat stroke to a cool place; remove unnecessary clothing; regularly check body temperature; cool the body by any means such as spraying water on the body, using a fan./.