Bagnols hospital takes over management of the Gard Rhone rehabilitation center and will expand its emergency rooms

Jean-Philippe Sajus, Jean-Yves Chapelet et le Dr Pierre Kovalevsky ont évoqué les sujets du centre de rééducation et la gestion des urgences. Midi Libre – Chloé Lopez

From April 1, the hospital will operate the rehabilitation center alone. As for the emergency rooms, they will soon be enlarged for better patient care.

The Gard Rhone rehabilitation center has operated since 2013 in the form of a health cooperation group (GCS). It was a partnership between the Bagnols-sur-Cèze hospital and the private Clinipole group. It ended at the end of last year and the Lagaraud clinic will therefore stop medical and rehabilitation care (SMR) from April 1. "This raised a fundamental question: how to maintain the continuity of this activity, which is essential for our territory ? asks the director of the hospital center, Jean-Philippe Sajus. The hospital has therefore initiated a request to resume this activity with the ARS (the regional health agency). It's not classic but we'll be ready. There will be no interruption of service."

A reduction in bed capacity for SMRs

As Jean-Yves Chapelet, the mayor of Bagnols who is also president of the hospital's supervisory board, repeated, it's "an entire territory which mobilized, wheren could not let go of this SMR establishment".

In agreement with the ARS, the resumption will only concern locomotor activity. The one called "versatile" will no longer be insured. "We are going to go from a capacity of 50 beds to around thirty", indicates the director of the hospital whose priority is to keep the 53 clinic professionals. "They will receive a written proposal, with a contract, so that they can continue to practice their profession here. They will have three weeks to respond. We are committed to making a proposal acceptable to all staff. For most of them, their salaries will be equivalent to what they had in the private sector. "

An extension of 700 m2 for emergencies

Those who agree to stay will practice in a new building by 2027. "The current location is extremely fragile. It is impossible to envisage exploitation beyond three years, specifies Jean-Philippe Sajus. The location n' is not yet defined but we would like it not to be very far from the hospital. We hope for financial support for this operation."

Another major subject for Bagnols hospital: emergencies. "The emergency department and its premises are particularly small. They were rebuilt around twenty years ago to accommodate between 18,000 and 20,000 people per year. Today, we are at 30,000", explains Dr. Pierre Kovalevsky, president of the establishment medical commission. Thus, in June, work to expand the emergency rooms will begin. "We will gain 700 m2. It is an extension at the level of the access ramp. This will make it possible to better organize patient care with more adapted circuits and to offer the best care offer depending on the situation."  The project will last 24 months and will be produced in two installments. 

“The emergency rooms are not closed!”

For several months now, the hospital has very regularly published press releases announcing the regulation of emergency reception due to insufficient medical staff. "I insist on the fact that the emergency rooms are not closed and the maternity ward is not closed. neither. When families arrive from downstairs (Avenue Alphonse Daudet), they think it’s closed. But no ! You just have to call the center in advance 15", repeats the director of the hospital center. The sole objective of these regulation evenings is "to ensure all vital emergencies". If only one doctor is available, he/she will be dedicated to the treatment. only at Smur. "Regarding staff à provision, we should regulate emergencies every evening. Every normal opening night is a victory."