CECINA. He arrived at the Cecina hospital on the scheduled day for the operation (he was supposed to have an inguinal hernia removed in Surgery), he lay down on the bed, put on the green gown, had an IV drip placed in his arm, and was shaved. Everything was ready, in short. Then, the surprise. «We’re sorry – he was told – we cannot operate on you. There are no free beds in intensive care.» «I couldn’t believe it.» Speaking about what happened to him is Mauro Giannini, a 67-year-old from Cecina and president of the Palazzaccio sports club.
This story dates back to last Monday. Giannini goes to the Cecina hospital for a scheduled operation. He arrives early in the morning and they prepare him. He is given the green gown, which he puts on. An IV drip is applied to one arm, while on the other the needle for anesthesia is set up. Giannini stays there, on a bed just steps from the operating room. Then a doctor tells him he will not be operated on. “The non-operated patient is discharged – it is written on the discharge letter – due to the unavailability of a monitoring bed in Tisi (intensive and sub-intensive care, editor’s note) as planned for the hospitalization. The date of the next hospitalization will be communicated by pre-hospitalization.”
Giannini says the inguinal hernia is making any activity impossible for him. «I had been waiting for this surgery for months. I had rigorously completed all the pre-operative procedures to present myself in the best conditions.» But then nothing happened. «This incident affected me. I could have expected anything, but not a treatment that I hardly hesitate to call inappropriate for the name of the hospital in my city. When I was informed of the news, I lost my temper and used very harsh words towards the staff, for which I apologize. However, I wonder how it is possible to summon a patient, prepare him for surgery, and send him home because there is no bed. It is inexplicable and incredible.»
The 67-year-old, moreover, does not know when he will be able to have the surgery. «They scheduled me a cardiology visit for the end of September, but I don’t know anything else. And I don’t even know with what state of mind I will await the next call for the operation. Also, I wonder: will that be the final one?»
The North West Tuscany USL Company apologizes to the patient «for the inconvenience and the manner in which the postponement of the surgery occurred.» However, it wishes to clarify «that the postponement was ordered in the interest of the patient’s health. A very recent clinical episode changed his risk profile, making further investigations necessary before proceeding with a surgery classified as non-urgent. To protect the patient, further diagnostic tests have therefore been requested, for which the plan is to postpone the operation by about two months, although the exact date of the surgery has not yet been set and therefore cannot be communicated. The surgical schedule, in fact, must take into account the progress of care activities and any emergencies that may arise and, therefore, cannot be defined so precisely well in advance. The Company apologizes and reiterates that the surgery will be scheduled when the best safety conditions have been verified.»
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