Undesirable and not worrisome. That is the opinion of Minister Ernst Kuipers of the closure of the emergency department of the Isala hospital in Meppel. It has been closed every night since this month due to a shortage of physician assistants.
The minister calls the temporary closure undesirable, but keeping it open despite the shortage of physician assistants would not have been desirable either. “However, it is also undesirable that patients are taken to an emergency room where good and safe care cannot be provided,” says the minister. Isala has indicated that she cannot meet the quality and safety requirements because there are not enough physician assistants to man the emergency department at night. “Being able to use a stop promotes patient safety and quality of care.”
That is why Kuipers does not find the closure a cause for concern. This is also because it is temporary and agreements have been made with general practitioners, hospitals and ambulance services in the region. Patients are now often referred to the emergency department in Zwolle at night. This concerns an average of four patients per night. “In life-threatening situations, patients can go to the most appropriate nearby emergency room.” The GP emergency post in Meppel is open as usual.
The emergency department in the new hospital in Meppel will be closed from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. for two months. “As a resident of Meppel, I proudly say all the time: we have a brand new hospital. No one will take away that care from us. And then it will remain the case,” says provincial executive Hans Kuipers, who lives in Meppel. He has brought the closure, and other concerns the province has with regard to rural care, to the attention of the minister.
It is expected that there will be enough physician assistants again in April. Then new physician assistants and two new doctors will start working in the emergency department in Meppel.