Specialized Medical Care in a Round-the-Clock Hospital for Citizens Exposed to Radiation as a Result of the Chernobyl Disaster

Abstract

Relevance. About 800 thousand citizens of the Russian Federation were affected as a result of the Chernobyl disaster, almost a quarter of them were liquidators of the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (LCDs). LCDs are among the most affected categories of Russian citizens. They usually have up to 12-15 somatic diseases and receive specialized inpatient treatment. Data on their morbidity structure and characteristics need to be generalized and are the basis for improving the organization of specialized medical care.Intention. To identify the characteristics of morbidity and the main classes of diseases in those suffered from the Chernobyl disaster in the remote period when providing specialized medical care in a round-the-clock hospital, from 2016 to 2018. Methodology. There were analyzed 4195 medical records of the LCDs who underwent inpatient treatment in multidisciplinary clinics of the Nikiforov Russian Center of Emergency and Radiation Medicine, EMERCOM of Russia, in the framework of the activities of the Union State in 2016–2018.Results and Discussion. The features of the morbidity of those affected by the Chernobyl disaster (LCDs and residents of radiation-contaminated territories) are shown. The main classes of diseases are presented in the distant period when providing specialized medical care in the round-the-clock hospital. The features of the organization of specialized medical care have been identified, in particular, the need has been substantiated for the provision of not only specialized therapeutic, but also specialized, including high-tech, surgical care, as well as medical rehabilitation in the preoperative and postoperative periods, after severe injuries and somatic diseases. The need for the creation and use of unified standards for the provision of special- ized therapeutic treatment to those affected by the Chernobyl disaster was confirmed. The necessity of providing specialized medical assistance to those affected by the Chernobyl disaster as part of the Union State target programs (Russia - Belarus) in addition to the State Guarantees Program for providing Russian citizens with free medical care using targeted methods of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation is substantiated. The implementation of the proposals presented in this article will undoubtedly improve the availability and quality of specialized medical care for this cohort.Conclusion. The features of the morbidity rates and the main classes of diseases revealed and presented in the article for those affected by the Chernobyl disaster in the long-term period when providing specialized medical care in a round-the- clock hospital are the basis for planning the types of specialized medical care for this cohort within the framework of targeted programs and activities of the Union State.