That the EPS are going to disappear is a reality today with all these changes that we are experiencing and, above all, with all the financial mismanagement that the country is discovering after decades of concealment and billions of pesos lost from the treasury.
But it is also an opportunity for the State’s hospitals or health care centers to grow and provide better care to patients.
For years, the State Social Enterprises, ESE, such as Carmen Emilia Ospina of Neiva, were forced to live off the crumbs left by the administrator on duty of the different EPS that contracted with this health entity for the people of Neiva.
But what has happened to this hospital entity? It is stagnant, it has not grown, it has not evolved, and it is known that every company must evolve to avoid extinction. Therefore, it is time to take charge of the health of the main center of the first level of medical care in our Municipality of Neiva.
We all know that ESE Carmen Emilia Ospina provides health services to the people of Neiva, but in the basics, such as outpatient and dental consultation, emergencies, hospitalization under the care of general practitioners at the Canaima health center. But it is necessary and it is time to grow, as other health companies in Neiva have done. The people of Neiva can no longer wait for the change that they deserve and that can be made in the ESE CEO.
Treating flu and headaches is fine for the people in general, but why not provide more services that Neiva residents require? There are many people in Neiva who suffer from heart ailments and must be referred to a higher level of medical care, where the answer is, “we don’t have room.”
However, even so, the doctor, as long as this cardiac patient (with heart ailments) is treated, is taken to these institutions, where they must be left on stretchers and in corridors of the different clinics in Neiva, violating one of the principles of health care, which is dignified and humane care.
This would easily end if the mayor of Neiva, his councilors and the management of the ESE Carmen Emilia Ospina, made the decision to create an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) for cardiac ailments, in the CAIMI health center, which is the one located north of the city of Neiva, and which has a physical infrastructure that would perfectly accommodate more than 12 intensive care beds.
The beds currently available in the hospitalization service on the second floor are suitable for an Intensive Care Unit. The investment that the municipal administration would make for this purpose would be minimal, a few monitors, and some biomedical equipment and separations to comply with what is required by the authorization system required by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
An ICU is considered an emergency and a contract with any EPS is not required to care for patients who require admission for cardiac problems.
A question that many ask themselves: What patients would we fill this Intensive Care Unit with? simple, with all those heart patients that we refer to the University Hospital and other IPS in Neiva, with a higher level of health complexity.
In addition, we could also receive patients from the municipalities surrounding the capital of Huila, who find it so difficult to get a bed in the ICU after suffering heart problems.
With an occupancy of 10 beds per month, the ESE could be collecting around $700,000,000 million pesos per month. Many will wonder, but who would care for these patients? There are many internists and anesthesiologists, graduates of the Universidad Surcolombiana, with whom I have spoken, and they say that they would gladly help this project. Likewise, the Carmen Emilia Ospina ESE has an internist to care for patients. This professional could be part of this UCI team.
In addition, we have the USCO, which offers specialization in anesthesiology and internal medicine, where its residents would be a support to provide care in this new Intensive Care Unit. They would put their knowledge into practice and the people of Huila would benefit.
The conditions are given; It’s time to lose fear and grow. Neiva needs it, the people of Neiva acclaim it and ESE Carmen Emilia Ospina can do it. It is time that we stop seeing the ESE as a simple small health center, where everything is received and serious matters are referred. Intensive Care Units save lives and are a necessity in the people of Neiva.
It is time to create the UCI in the ESE of the Neivans.
For a healthier Neiva, yes, to the Intensive Care Unit of the ESE Carmen Emilia Ospina de Neiva.
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By: Héctor Hernán Sánchez Ortigoza
Physician and surgeon, USCO graduate
Specialist in management, auditing and internal control of health institutions
E-mail: [email protected]
