新型しんがたコロナ 高齢こうれい者しゃ施設しせつの入所にゅうしょ者しゃが入院にゅういんできず死亡しぼう 実態じったいを検証けんしょうへ

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as the medical system became overwhelmed and hospital beds were limited, there were a series of cases in which severely ill residents at elderly care facilities and similar institutions were unable to be hospitalized and passed away.

In order to verify the actual situation at the time, a research group including Kagoshima University has decided to start an investigation targeting facilities and public health centers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the number of patients surged and hospital beds became scarce, in some regions, public health centers and prefectural governments conducted hospitalization coordination to find available hospital beds, determined whether patients could be admitted, and delivered medical equipment to those recuperating at home or in hotels. However, in elderly care facilities and similar institutions, there were successive cases where people could not be hospitalized even after their conditions became severe, resulting in many deaths within the facilities.

At that time, in order to understand the situation in which these facilities were placed and to lead to verification, research groups from Kagoshima University, Bukkyo University, and others have decided to begin an investigation starting in June.

In the survey, more than 600 elderly care facilities and facilities for people with disabilities across the country will be asked through questionnaires and interviews about the number of people who died in the facilities and the reasons why they could not be hospitalized. In addition, public health centers and medical institutions will be asked about the situation of hospital bed usage at the time and the criteria for hospitalization coordination, in order to investigate the impact on people living in such facilities.

Professor Yuji Okazaki of Bukkyo University, who serves as co-representative of the research group, said, With limited medical resources, local healthcare workers made tremendous efforts. There were places where things went well, and others where they couldnt reach.

I want to analyze the factors and background over time to identify the issues, and propose how we can ensure access to medical care for as many people as possible if another pandemic occurs, he said.

Hyogo Nishinomiya’s special nursing home for the elderly: At that time, during the COVID-19 outbreak, four cluster infections occurred and multiple deaths happened. While showing understanding for the strained medical system in the area, the elderly welfare facility is calling for a review of how the situation was handled at that time.

At the special nursing home for the elderly Koujuen in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, measures were taken during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce contact, such as restricting visits to residents and assigning staff to specific floors with separate entrances and exits. Additionally, when infections occurred, zoning was implemented to separate the living areas of infected and non-infected individuals.

However, there were a total of four cluster infections at the facility, and many residents ended up needing treatment.

Among them, during the fourth wave in April 2021, 20 residents were infected, and several people became seriously ill.

According to the facility, they reported to the public health center that the residents symptoms are severe and hospitalization is necessary, but in most cases, they were told that hospital beds are in short supply and no hospital can be found.

Elderly people who could not be hospitalized were cared for by facility nurses, who followed the instructions of contracted doctors to administer oxygen or suction phlegm, among other measures, but six people died in the facility during just the fourth wave.

The records remaining at the facility include exchanges with the public health center, such as There are many people in the same situation, so there are no available beds and its difficult, and When a cluster occurs, we have them provide end-of-life care.

Director Koji Kobayashi of Koshuen said, According to the rules at the time, hospitalization was supposed to be the principle, but it felt like it was assumed that facility residents couldnt be hospitalized.

There was no equipment or system in place to provide treatment at the facility, so all we could do was watch the residents grow weaker, and it was truly painful.

I dont think we can blame the public health center because they must have had an extremely hard time, but I want them to thoroughly investigate what actually happened, he said.

Nishinomiya City Health Center and others responded at the time when the so-called fourth wave of infections occurred in the spring of 2021, and the number of infected people was rapidly increasing even in Nishinomiya City, where the facility is located.

At that time, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfares ordinance stated that in principle, elderly people and those with pre-existing conditions should be hospitalized, and additionally, Hyogo Prefecture had a policy of prioritizing hospitalization for patients with moderate symptoms who require oxygen therapy.

However, according to the Nishinomiya City Public Health Center, the number of infected people who met these conditions far exceeded the number of hospital beds secured in the city, and more than 40 people per day were reportedly waiting to be hospitalized.

From these circumstances, the Nishinomiya City Public Health Center not only arranged for medical equipment to be delivered to the facilities, but also advised the facilities to coordinate end-of-life care in cases where a hospital could not be found.

The Nishinomiya City Public Health Center also requested Hyogo Prefecture to conduct hospitalization coordination—searching for available hospital beds outside the local area in order to secure hospital admissions. In April 2021 alone, there were 21 such cases.

On the other hand, in Hyogo Prefecture, there were a series of requests for hospitalization coordination from other areas within the prefecture, with 2,149 requests for hospitalization coordination during the fourth wave.

As a result, the bed occupancy rate in Hyogo Prefecture during the fourth wave reached a maximum of 85%.

It is said that the number of cases in which even people who should be prioritized for hospitalization when the rate reaches 1% are unable to be admitted has been increasing.