The current context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the associated risks of increasing spread of COVID-19 in the community have determined the need to take more stringent protective measures to reduce the risk of contagion, particularly in the hospital environment and within clinical activity, with the objective of safeguarding safety and quality in the provision of health care in the Hospital da Luz network. Thus, in accordance with the rule 007/2020 of Direção-Geral da Saúde and other guidelines issued by health authorities at national and international level, it was necessary to change the concept of Basic Precautions for infection prevention and control, previously implemented in the Hospital da Luz network, for Expanded Basic Precautions imposed in the current epidemiological context of SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19, in order to protect not only patients, but also health professionals and the hospital environment, and even the community in in general, in order to reduce the potential risk of cross-transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Such precautions determine that, in the approach of all patients, health professionals have to use increased Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), with other characteristics and in greater quantity, which were previously reserved for exceptional situations and which, at present, are used as a rule in all patients and especially in suspected or confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19. These PPE include, in particular, masks, complete biological protection suits, eye protection (side shields and goggles), caps, foot covers, increased consumption of gloves, among others. On the other hand, for the protection of everyone, the clients themselves and their (authorized) companions started to receive facial masks when they were admitted to the units of the Hospital da Luz chain. The application of these more demanding protection measures implies the increased consumption of individual protection material, at significantly higher costs than previously practiced, as a result of the exponential increase in its demand worldwide. In this context, it is possible that the price of these materials may change over time. In the Hospital da Luz Network, the value of the protective material was defined according to the type of clinical services provided, which necessarily has an impact on the type and quantity of protective equipment that is necessary to use in providing care to the patient, by the number of members that make up the basic clinical team in each act / service, the characteristics of the protective equipment and the value of each component used by health professionals and the specific clinical / technical approach of the more or less invasive patient. In certain acts / services, the consumption of material varies depending on whether or not it is a suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 patient, due to the need to reinforce protection measures to prevent contagion in a COVID circuit. -19. The respective charges for the client vary depending on the type of service provided, the length of stay in the hospital, the hospital circuit of the patient's approach (COVID-19 or non-COVID-19) and the coverage of that expense by the insurance company or health subsystem that the client is a beneficiary. It is suggested that the client inform himself in advance with his financing entity or other responsible entity about the conditions for the participation of these additional charges or to consult here this website where we will keep this information updated.
