To date, the three acute hospitals in Mannheim have treated a total of 90 patients with a confirmed COVID-19 infection as inpatients. Following the significant nationwide decline in new cases, Theresienkrankenhaus and St. Hedwig-Klinik, Diakonissenkrankenhaus and Mannheim University Hospital are gradually returning to a new regular operation in which COVID patients remain strictly separated from all other patients. The three hospitals are uniformly implementing the relaxation of visiting rules currently permitted by the state.
The hospitals in Mannheim and the public health department are in continuous communication on all issues relating to medical care in the inpatient area and in emergencies concerning the novel coronavirus. In order to detect individual infections with SARS-CoV-2 at an early stage and contain any further spread in Mannheim, the Youth Welfare Office and Health Department and the clinics are working closely together, with all measures taking place in joint consultation under the coordination of the Health Department.
Review
Of the 90 COVID patients treated as inpatients in Mannheim, 31 have required intensive medical care and 27 have been ventilated. 15 patients were dependent on dialysis during their hospital stay, eight patients even required temporary lung replacement treatment (so-called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation - ECMO), which is provided at the University Hospital.
In order to be able to provide good care for the expected large number of COVID-19 patients, the three hospitals in Mannheim scaled back the treatment of non-time-critical illnesses at the request of Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn. From mid-March, entire wards and complete intensive care units were made available for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The University Hospital has also built up laboratory testing capacities for the novel coronavirus and set up an easily accessible coronavirus diagnostic center in its campus park.
The future with the novel coronavirus
Following approval by Federal Minister of Health Spahn at the end of April, the three acute hospitals in Mannheim have begun to offer their range of diagnosis and treatment services to almost the same extent as before. At the same time, a total of 14 intensive care beds remain reserved at the University Hospital and Theresienkrankenhaus, while a further 66 beds on normal wards are being kept free for COVID-19 patients at Diakonissenkrankenhaus, Theresienkrankenhaus and the University Hospital. Technical and organizational measures continue to ensure that these patients remain strictly separated from the other patients in the three hospitals. In particular, all plannable patients are tested for the novel coronavirus before admission.
In the event of a resurgence of the pandemic, the hospitals in Mannheim have drawn up phased plans in order to be able to flexibly provide the required capacity of normal and intensive care beds. The University Hospital will continue to coordinate the occupancy of all intensive care beds in Mannheim on behalf of the Baden-Württemberg State Chancellery. After the employees of all Mannheim nursing homes for the elderly have already been tested for SARS-CoV-2 by mobile teams from the University Hospital, the UMM is now gradually beginning to test the employees of homes for the disabled and the residents of all Mannheim homes. In addition, as recently recommended by the Robert Koch Institute, hospital staff will also be screened for the novel coronavirus regularly and without cause in future.
New standardized visiting regulations
Diakonissenkrankenhaus, Theresienkrankenhaus and St. Hedwig-Klinik as well as the University Hospital Mannheim have implemented the new regulations of the state of Baden-Württemberg for patient visits in a uniform manner: every patient who is expected to spend at least five days in hospital can receive a one-hour visit every day between 4 and 7 pm. If possible, the same visitor should always come. As prescribed by the state, every visitor must complete a SARS-CoV-2 visitor self-disclosure form and a declaration of commitment before entering the hospital grounds. This asks about symptoms that indicate an infection and provides information on correct hygienic behavior during the visit. A contact address or telephone number must also be provided.
These simple regulations are intended to achieve a good balance between the often medically positive effects of visits and the necessary protection of fellow patients and staff.
Contact person:
University Hospital Mannheim
Dirk Schuhmann
dirk.schuhmann@umm.de
+49 621 3833549
Theresienkrankenhaus and St. Hedwig-Klinik
Christian Klehr
c.klehr@theresienkrankenhaus.de
+49 621 4244878
https://www.theresienkrankenhaus.de
Deaconess Hospital Mannheim
Nicole Mansouri-Hein
n.mansouri-hein@diako-mannheim.de
+49 621 81022011
City of Mannheim
Beate Klehr-Merkl
beate.klehr-merkl@mannheim.de
+49 621 2932916
