新型コロナの
流行期、
医療体制の
ひっ迫で
入院できる病床が
限られる
中、
高齢者福祉施設などでは
重症化した
入所者が
入院できずに
亡くなるケースが
相次ぎました。
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.
当時の
実態を
検証するため、
鹿児島大学などの
研究グループは
施設や
保健所などを
対象に
調査を
始めることになりました。
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.
新型コロナの流行中、患者数が急増して病床のひっ迫が起きると、地域によっては保健所や都道府県が受け入れ先の病床を探す「入院調整」を行い、患者が入院できるかどうかを判断したり、自宅やホテルなどで療養する人に医療機器を届けたりといった対応がとられましたが、高齢者福祉施設などでは重症化しても入院できず、施設内で死亡する人が相次ぎました。
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.
当時、これらの施設が置かれていた状況を把握し、検証につなげようと、鹿児島大学や佛教大学などの研究グループは6月から調査を始めることになりました。
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.
調査では、全国600余りの高齢者施設や障害者施設などに、施設内で死亡した人の数や、入院できなかった理由などについて、アンケートや聞き取りを行うほか、保健所や医療機関にも、当時の病床の使用状況や「入院調整」の基準などを尋ねて、施設などで暮らす人たちが受けた影響を調べることにしています。
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.
研究グループの共同代表をつとめる佛教大学の岡崎祐司教授は「医療資源が限られる中、地域の医療関係者は非常な努力をされ、うまくいったところもあれば、手が届かなかったところもある。
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.
その要因や
背景を
時間の
経過を
追って分析して
課題を
洗い出し、
再びパンデミックが
起きたとき、
どうすれば
多くの
人に
医療へのアクセスを
確保できるかを
提言したい」と
話しています。
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.
兵庫 西宮の特別養護老人ホーム 当時の状況は
新型コロナの流行中、4回のクラスター感染が起き、複数の死者が出た高齢者福祉施設では、医療体制がひっ迫していた地域の状況に理解を示しながらも、当時の対応についての検証を求めています。
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.
兵庫県西宮市の特別養護老人ホーム「甲寿園」では、コロナ禍の間、入所者への面会を制限したり、フロアごとに担当職員を決めて出入り口を分けるなどして、接触を少なくしたりといった対策をとっていたほか、感染者が出た際は感染した人とそうでない人の生活する場所を分ける「ゾーニング」も行っていました。
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.
しかし、施設ではクラスター感染があわせて4回起き、多くの入所者が治療を必要とする状況になりました。
However, there were a total of four cluster infections at the facility, and many residents ended up needing treatment.
中でも、2021
年4
月の
第4
波では
入所者20
人が
感染して、
重症に
なる人も
相次ぎました。
Among them, during the fourth wave in April 2021, 20 residents were infected, and several people became seriously ill.
施設によりますと、保健所に「入所者の症状が重く入院が必要である」と訴えましたが、ほとんどの場合で「病床がひっ迫していて入院先が見つからない」と説明されたということです。
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.
入院できない高齢者は、施設の看護師が嘱託の医師の指示に従って、酸素を投与したり、たんを吸引したりするなどして対応しましたが、第4波だけで6人が施設内で亡くなったということです。
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.
施設に残っている記録には「同じ状況の人がたくさんいてベッドが空かず難しい」とか「クラスターが起きたときは、みとりをしてもらう」といった保健所とのやりとりが残っています。
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.
甲寿園の小林浩司園長は「当時のルールでは『原則、入院』のはずが、施設の入所者は入院できないのが前提になっていたように感じた。
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.
施設には
機材も
治療できる体制もないので、
入所者が
衰弱して
いくのを
ただ見ている
ほかなく、
本当につらかった。
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.
保健所もものすごく
苦労されたと
思うので
非難はできないが、
何が
起きていたのか
しっかり検証してもらいたい」と
話していました。
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.
西宮市保健所など 当時の対応は
2021年春に起きた感染拡大のいわゆる「第4波」の際、施設がある西宮市でも感染者が急増していました。
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.
当時は、厚生労働省の省令では「高齢者や持病のある人は原則、入院」とされていて、さらに兵庫県では「酸素投与が必要となる中等症の人」を優先して入院させる方針がとられていました。
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.
しかし、西宮市保健所によりますと、こうした条件にあてはまる感染者が市内で確保されていた病床の数を大幅に上回り、1日当たり40人以上が入院を待っている状況だったということです。
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.
こうしたことから、西宮市保健所は、医療機器を手配して施設に届けるなどしたほか、入院先が見つからない場合は「みとりの調整を行うよう施設に助言した」ということです。
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.
また西宮市保健所は、入院先を確保するため、兵庫県に対し、圏域を超えて空いている病床を探す「入院調整」を依頼し、その件数は2021年4月だけで21件に上りました。
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.
一方、兵庫県には県内のほかの地域からも入院調整の要請が相次ぎ、第4波の間の「入院調整」の依頼は2149件でした。
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.
この結果、第4波での兵庫県内の病床使用率は最大で85。
As a result, the bed occupancy rate in Hyogo Prefecture during the fourth wave reached a maximum of 85%.
1%に
達し、
優先して
入院させる
はずの
対象の
人でも
入院できない
ケースが
増加していたということです。
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.