pic: sverigesradio.se
A half dozen hospitals throughout Sweden remain at crisis levels (stabsläge) through the weekend and at least through Monday, as basic supplies have still not been delivered. Crisis level has meant that scheduled operations have been put on hold for the time being, in order to ensure the availability of supplies for critical and emergency operations. The basic supplies that have particularly been delayed are such items as syringes, washcloths and needles.
Currently, hospitals in Västmanland, as well as others in the regions of Örebro, Uppsala and Dalarna, have rescheduled all planned surgeries. Almost a hundred operations at Uppsala hospital, and 42 operations in Dalarna, have been postponed (SvD.se/hospitals). Not all hospitals have been affected however, such as at Akademiska Hospital in Uppsala. As Margareta Sandback, the admin in charge of supplies there, who made sure there wasn’t a shortage, put it: “I’ve been here before” (Svenska Dagbladet, Oct. 20, p. 2).
Other hospitals and admins were completely taken by surprise. On October 1, the company in charge of delivering supplies to hospitals changed from Mediq to Apotekstjänst. Apotekstjänst has explained that they were taken aback by the number or orders that came in, and added that the hospitals must have been low on supplies to begin with (DN.se/hospitals).
Hospitals have been reaching out to the previous company Mediq as well as other suppliers, looking to shore up their stocks. Meanwhile, a committee has been formed to look in to creating some sort of supply warehouse to increase preparedness “There hasn’t been an economic possibility for this earlier” said Mikael Köhler, chief surgeon at Akademiska Hospital (DN.se/hospitals).
Of course, questions arise as to whose head should roll. Lawyers (jurister) at Region Uppsala are looking into it, but insist that they are not looking to sue or to change companies. “Maybe later we can look at who’s right or who’s wrong,” said Anne Nilsson, head counsel, “but right now it’s about getting supplies” (DN.se/hospitals).
updated: Although Akademiska Hospital in Uppsala previously had no trouble with supplies, by Tuesday morning they had had to reschedule a whole lot of operations – SvD must have gotten that wrong. In more news on this topic, the CEO for Apoteksstjänst – the company which has not delivered, in more ways than one – resigned on Monday. It hasn’t helped a bit.