Italy’s (public) hospitals reach breaking point as Rome splashes cash to help virus-hit economy

CNBC ^

[qwerty1234]

Italy is throwing cash at its coronavirus-hit economy this week as the number of confirmed cases of the virus continues to rise, and hospitals in the worst-hit region are forced to turn to the private sector for help.

As of Tuesday morning, there were 2,041 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the country and 52 deaths. Hospitals in the region of Lombardy — the epicenter of Italy’s outbreak with 1254 cases of the virus, 38 deaths and where 10 towns remain under lockdown — are struggling to cope and have called on the private health sector to come to their aid.

Private hospitals in the region have been asked “lend” beds in their intensive care units to the public healthcare system, creating “mini-wards” for patients who have tested positive for Covid-19, newspaper La Repubblica reported Tuesday. One lead virologist in Milan described Lombardy’s hospitals as being close to breaking point, in “severe crisis” and registering an “overload” of patients, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

[qwerty1234]

So the government run health care system in Italy is 'overwhelmed' by 2000+/- sick people, and ar enow asking the evil private sector to bail them out .... ok democrats, tell me again why America needs to move to a government run healthcare system?

[Veggie Todd]

[dp0622]

That’s why my grandfather took my father here and that’s why my mother’s parents came here.

To be citizens of the greatest country in the world.

Still it makes me sad to see this :(

Preghiere nel paese di nascita di papa

[ronnie raygun]

Looking for outside help does not include the EU. If only they had Cuban healthcare

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Under the right circumstances any health care system could easily be overwhelmed. Say you lived in Billings, Montana to pull a name out of a hat. They could have wonderful hospitals, super efficient, but odds are most of the beds are taken up by people who are already there with other illnesses. Then out of the blue people start showing up by the hundreds. It wouldn't be long for the Billings health care system, good as it is, to be overwhelmed. That's what's happening in parts of Italy.

I don't know how good health care is in Italy. It could suck. But the Mayo Clinic couldn't cope if people started showing up there nonstop.

[oldasrocks]

Excellent

[Adder]

I agree there could be isolated “mini” shortages of beds due to a sudden influx of demand in the short term.

Long term the country is hurting: We got a go fund me request from a air bnb host we stayed with last fall looking for donations. She said her business of multiple properties is down some 80%. She was in Rome. I can only imagine what it is like in Venice or Milan.

[Kozak]

People have no idea how little excess capacity there is in ICUs anywhere. We have about 100 k ICU beds in the US and they are swamped during flu season. Patients routinely held in the ER waiting for a bed.

[Clay Moore]

Waiting room full, every room full and people on beds and chairs in the halls. I have seen it nearly every flu season. Ambulances on divert to another hospital that isn’t full, not that such a thing exists.

[jimmygrace]

It may be true that any system can be overwhelmed, but the article says that the public hospitals asked the private hospitals for help, so they evidentally have some band width. It looks like Italy has a 2-tiered system where most people have to use the public option but the elite can go elsewhere.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

It looks like Italy has a 2-tiered system where most people have to use the public option but the elite can go elsewhere.

Plenty of European countries give you the option of public or private insurance. I live in Spain and we have both. Even the NHS lets you buy private medical insurance. It's just that most people don't.