Experience of medical support for railway transport workers in the context of a new coronavirus infection

Abstract

Introduction. The work's relevance is related to the health system's challenges associated with the pandemic of new coronavirus infection. The study aims to explore the experience of organizing the response to the COVID-19 epidemic by the medical service of JSC "Russian Railways" in March-August 2020. Materials and methods. We used the statistical reporting materials of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and JSC "Russian Railways" to analyze the availability of bed fund and medical personnel. The official information of стопкоронавирус.рф website of the Russian Federation is used to analyze the incidence of COVID-19 in the Russian Federation and in the world. To analyze the morbidity of JSC "Russian Railways", we used data from daily monitoring conducted by the company. Results. The incidence of COVID-19 among health care workers in the pre-trip examination rooms of the holding was lower than in the whole of the Russian Federation. The bed fund of JSC "Russian Railways" in terms of 10 thousand people corresponds to the Russian average. The indicators of availability of medical personnel are higher than in the Russian Federation. During the "first wave" of the epidemic, 4 hospitals of Russian Railways were redesigned to provide medical care to patients with COVID-19. Two thousand one hundred twenty medical workers were involved. A total of 3.6 thousand patients with COVID-19 were treated. According to the treatment regimens described in the interim guidelines, the early start of therapy allowed to prevent the development of severe forms and minimize mortality. Russian railways medical institutions participated in the fight against the epidemic in 19 regions of the Russian Federation. 20 PCR laboratories were opened. Conclusions. The activities of Russian railways medical institutions were adequately reformed, which allowed not only to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus infection among the holding's employees.