CASTELLÓN FIELD HOSPITAL: COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF ITS USE DURING THE SARS-COV-2 PANDEMIC

Abstract

BACKGROUND // Field hospitals, also known as alternative care sites, have been an important healthcare reinforcement during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic worldwide. In the Valencian Community, three of these hospitals were opened, one for each province. Our study aimed to make a comprehensive analysis of this resource in Castellon.

METHODS // A retrospective observational study was carried out with an analytical and statistical component of 3 aspects: infrastructure, satisfaction and clinical data from COVID-positive hospitalized patients. The sources of information were primary, institutional for the infrastructure and personal for the satisfaction surveys and clinical data.

RESULTS // A set of 6x3 metres polyvalent tents was chosen, which joined formed a single-floor area of about 3.500 m2. Although hospital opened for approximately a year and a half with multiple uses, most in relation to the COVID pandemic (vaccination center, emergency room observation, hospital assistance, warehouse...), reception of positive patients for the virus began during the third wave of the pandemic, remaining active for eleven days. A total of thirty-one patients with a mean age of 56 years were admitted. 41.9% did not have any comorbidity and 54.8% needed treatment with oxygen therapy. Furthermore, the length of stay was three days, finding a significant relationship between this one, the oxygen flow required during admission and the age. Satisfaction was measured by a survey of seventeen questions where an average satisfaction of 8.33/10.

CONCLUSIONS // This is one of the few studies in the literature in which a field hospital is analyzed from such different points of view. After this analysis, it is concluded that it is an extraordinary and temporary resource whose use is useful without reflecting an increase of morbidity/mortality among our patients and with a very favorable subjective assessment.