DistantNews
Support us
Venizelio Hospital denies allegations of moving ALS patient to accommodate staff
🇬🇷 Greece /Health & Science

Venizelio Hospital denies allegations of moving ALS patient to accommodate staff

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • The Venizelio Hospital denied allegations that a patient with ALS was moved from a private room to accommodate a staff member.
  • The hospital stated that the patient was moved to another room after protests from healthcare workers.
  • The incident has drawn criticism from hospital staff and patient advocacy groups.

The Venizelio Hospital has refuted claims that a 28-year-old patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) was moved from a private room to make way for a staff member. Reports alleged that the patient was relocated to a room with eight other individuals to facilitate this "favor."

what is described in the publication does not correspond to reality

— Venizelio - Pananeio General Hospital Administration and Surgical ClinicDenying the allegations of patient mistreatment.

The hospital's administration and the surgical clinic issued a press release clarifying that the described events are untrue. However, the initial relocation did cause tension within the hospital. Following objections from healthcare professionals, the patient was eventually moved to another private room in the internal medicine clinic.

Dimitris Flytzanis, president of the Venizelio Hospital workers' union, confirmed the incident, calling it "unacceptable" and demanding an explanation from the hospital management. Former hospital administrator Evangelia Fanouraki questioned the necessity of transferring the patient to Venizelio for a routine procedure, suggesting it could have been performed at hospitals in Ierapetra or Agios Nikolaos, which have lower occupancy rates.

unacceptable

— Dimitris FlytzanisDescribing the incident of patient relocation.

The Association of People with Motor Neuron Disease also commented, highlighting the specific needs of advanced ALS patients during hospitalization. They emphasized that the patient in question requires increased attention, specialized care, and protection from infections due to her tracheostomy, gastrostomy, and severe infection. Healthcare professionals involved recognized these needs and attempted to ensure her safety, dignity, and peace.

I will allow myself to wonder about the following: since the surgery was routine, why wasn't it done in Ierapetra or in the Agios Nikolaos hospital? Especially in Agios Nikolaos, the average occupancy in general surgery is at most 3 patients!

— Evangelia FanourakiQuestioning the necessity of the patient's transfer to Venizelio.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog