28 health schools are actively operating at the Novolukoml hospital

High qualification of medical personnel, the level of equipment with modern equipment, care for people – all these are components of overall success: for many years, Novolukoml Central Regional Hospital has been among the best healthcare institutions in the Vitebsk region. This is evidenced by figures and facts.

Thus, in 2015, paid services to the population were provided here for more than 5,205 million rubles, plans for export of services and savings of fuel, energy and material resources were fulfilled by almost 141% and more than 145%, respectively. The program of state guarantees for providing medical care to the district population was fully implemented. The redistribution of resources from high-cost inpatient care to more economical care, including disease prevention and outpatient polyclinic care, continues. The share of funding for the latter has increased from 30% in 2001 to almost 51% at present.

The work on introducing hospital-substituting technologies, preventive measures aimed at combating risk factors, and promoting a healthy lifestyle among the population has intensified. Over the past year, doctors of Novolukoml Central Regional Hospital have appeared in the media 225 times, given almost 500 lectures in work collectives, conducted 12 campaigns and 30 health days, six question-and-answer evenings, 16 "hotlines" and more than 860 consultations on healthy lifestyle and disease prevention. There are 28 health schools. General practitioners and district therapists pay great attention to patients' implementation of individual rehabilitation programs and prevention of the risk of complications. As a result, the number of exacerbations with loss of working capacity in the group of dispensary patients decreased by 6.9%.

The duration of temporary disability decreased by 7.8%, 8.3% of patients were fully rehabilitated and returned to work, and 15.4% were partially rehabilitated. The number of people regularly engaged in physical culture and sports in the district increased by almost a quarter, the level of smoking decreased by approximately 10%, and the number of overweight individuals decreased by more than 6%.

– I cannot fail to note the success achieved by the district's surgical service, – emphasized Chief Physician of the Central District Hospital Nikolai Pinchuk. Since October 2011, 290 laparoscopic cholecystectomies (gallbladder removal. – Ed.) have been performed. As a result, the average treatment period for such patients has more than halved, and the economic effect amounted to almost 400 million rubles. Not to mention how much easier these operations are tolerated. In 2015, 143 patients underwent surgery. Moreover, not a single case of postoperative death from acute surgical pathology of the abdominal organs was recorded. And operations for incarcerated hernias in the district have become rare – only two were performed last year.

The Chief Physician also highly appreciates the work of the obstetrics, neonatology, and family planning services. Perinatal care is constantly improving in the district, access to high-tech diagnostic and treatment methods is ensured, medical genetic counseling is provided, and excellent conditions have been created for the birth and care of children. Medical professionals are systematically working to enhance the prestige of the family in society, foster conscious parenthood, and prevent early teenage pregnancies. As a result, the infant mortality rate has decreased 7.45-fold since 2003.

Furthermore, Chashniki District has achieved one of the lowest overall mortality rates among the districts of the Vitebsk region. And, what is particularly important, a reduction in mortality among the working-age population has been achieved here. Moreover, this applies to all socially significant causes – cardiovascular diseases and oncology. The average life expectancy in the region has increased by 5.14 years during this period.

— In the current five-year period, amidst a financial crisis, our team will face no less complex tasks, — says Nikolay Evgenievich. — But I have no doubt that daily meticulous work on disease prevention, early diagnosis, medical examinations of the entire population, a system of organizational measures aimed at increasing the accessibility and quality of medical care, the introduction of new modern treatment methods, care for the reproductive health of the population, plus the high responsibility and qualifications of medical personnel will allow us to effectively accomplish them.

Elena Telyatko, photos by the author. "Vitebskiye vesti".