Reason Found for Patient Who Visited Hospital 337 Times in One Year in Istanbul
The situations of individuals in Istanbul who visited hospitals hundreds of times in a year due to anxiety and health concerns were examined, leading to a reduction in visits.
Istanbul Provincial Health Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Emre Güner announced that the case of a citizen in the city who went to the hospital 337 times in one year due to health concerns was investigated, and these anxiety-driven visits were successfully reduced.
Intensive Health Services and Examination Data in Istanbul
Istanbul Provincial Health Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Emre Güner stated that the city is the health capital of the world and noted that 148 million examinations were carried out in the first eight months of the year. Güner emphasized the great importance of citizens benefiting from preventive health services before losing their health and of using the tiered healthcare system effectively.
The Role of Family Physicians in the Healthcare System
Conveying that family physicians play a critical role in the health processes of Istanbul residents, Güner stated that these physicians are important health consultants who know the patient and their family, are aware of past illnesses, and can evaluate risk factors. It was stated that citizens should apply to their family physicians first.
Hundreds of Hospital Visits Stemming from Anxiety
Reporting that they encounter hospital visits made without necessity in the city, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Güner stated that the case of a woman who applied to Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital 316 times in one year was examined accompanied by psychologists and psychiatrists. It was noted that the citizen, who frequently applied due to anxiety and fear of hypertension, was persuaded and her visits were reduced to once a month or every two months.
The Heavy Burden Brought by COPD and Anxiety
Güner expressed that they also identified another patient experiencing shortness of breath due to COPD who made excessive visits to emergency departments because they could not manage this situation. It was conveyed that the patient felt compelled to go to the hospital 337 times in a year because they could not manage their anxiety, and this situation fatigued both the system and the patient.
Goals of the Protecting and Developing Health Model
Stating that citizens may have hesitations and fears about losing their health, Güner noted that within the scope of the Protecting, Producing, Developing Health Model by Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Kemal Memişoğlu, the aim is to use health services much more effectively.