Ultimate safety preparation at Viet Duc University Hospital for preventing the risk of COIVD-19 infection

22/04/2020 09:04

Since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, despite being a surgical hospital that is deliberately excluded from the list of some specific healthcare centers delegated to take care of SARS-CoV- 2 patients by the Ministry of Health, Viet Duc University Hospital (VDUH)’s Board of Directors still consider the distinct influence of pandemic prevention. Therefore, they have already focused on preparation of staffing and material resources while conducting a great deal of vigorous interventions in order to prevent the pandemic spreading into the hospital. Thus, there are currently no confirmed/suspected cases of SARS-CoV- 2 at VDUH.

 

Up to date, COVID-19 pandemic has been becoming more complex. Right after being informed that two staff of Truong Sinh Company who provided food services to Bach Mai Hospital were positive with SARS- CoV- 2 and considering that as the high risk infectious sources, VDUH’s board of directors immediately obliged all departments to check out all the  information related to this company including food suppliers, raw ingredients as well as other services in hospital.

 

After checking the details of the foodservice suppliers between VDUH and Bach Mai Hospital, it fortunately turned out to be two different companies. All staff of Thien Ly Company (food service supplier of VDUH) did not have any direct contacts with staff of Truong Sinh Company in last 14 days including neither epidemiologic factors, nor clinical symptom, nor travel history to pandemic areas which have been noted.  

 

However, via these check-ups, our hospital has also identified that during these periods, there were still lots of potential risks of COVID-19 protrusion from many sources of food providing staff or cleaning staff… because they often stay together which leads to loads of unclear epidemiologic factors while the fear of discrimination or losing their jobs gives they hard time to declare medical information decently, not to mention the tremendous number of their family members whom stay and join into patients’ care. All of those people usually visit many places, meet a lot of people in the hospital. 

 

Facing this situation, hospital requested all service companies cooperating with the hospital to stiffly monitor the travel history, workplace, accommodation of their staff and assure avoidance of contacting with contagious sources. For inpatients, only for essential cases in which one family member is allowed to stay for patient care, but he or she must be well controlled nevertheless. During the pandemic period, all family visit will be temporarily suspended. Hospital also reinforces the monitoring means for all people coming in and out, even non-medical staff, while simultaneously propagates, explains and encourages all people to declare medical information on their own initiative and to avoid the discrimination which leads to hiding risk factors.

Clearly identifying the infection risk of staying close while eating or not wearing protective equipment, VDUH has changed the food service procedure by not only  serving meals all the patients directly at bedside but also allowing all staff or patients’ relatives to bring back in order to avoid congregating for meals and providing information science for serving meals at bedside. Hospital has also organized the training courses for staff working at the kitchen on pandemic prevention and conducted disinfection activities regularly in the hospital including kitchen area.

In the current situation, VDUH always try to use their best efforts to offer the greatest healthcare services to the patients as best they can and at the same time, we expect all the societies, patients and their family members to join, support and show compassion with the medical team.

 

Social Working Department