Non-urgent care can still be continued, if there is scope.

Postpone all types of non-urgent care for two weeks. That was the guideline that the Hospital Capacity and Transportation Committee sent to all hospitals on Tuesday. But the next day, the same committee actually changed that guideline. “It’s just fine-tuning,” says Marcel van der Auera, chair of that committee. We have received a response from several hospitals that they still have room for non-urgent care. This is of course very welcome, which is why we added this refinement.”

Hospitals that ensure 50 percent of intensive beds remain available for Covid patients do not have to postpone their non-emergency care. In addition, they must take into account that this increase is up to at least 60 percent, the so-called stage 2a. In addition, the hospital should also be able to show solidarity with other hospitals in the area.”

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hardly a difference

According to Margot Clouet, the highest-grossing woman in the umbrella of Zorgnet-Icuro Hospital, this won’t make a difference in practice in Flanders. “In most Flemish hospitals, the pressure is very high,” she says. “It may be possible to do a non-urgent intervention here and there, but especially in departments where the staff cannot be deployed for Covid-19 patients. For example, to pull a wisdom tooth.”

The request for a revision of the guideline would have come mainly from hospitals in Brussels and Walloon, where the pressure is currently much lower than in Flanders. (pl)

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