Photo/Illutration Kotaro Yokote, chairman of the Association of Japan Medical Colleges, third from left, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo. (Kazuya Goto)

Ahead of the downgrading of the novel coronavirus on May 8, a survey found that half of the COVID-19 units at university hospitals nationwide had already been either scrapped or scaled down. 

The Association of Japan Medical Colleges conducted the survey of 82 university hospitals at the end of March and received responses from 75 of them.

Regarding COVID-19 units, 19 percent said they had already eliminated such units and had seen COVID-19 patients in general examination units. 

Meanwhile, 30 percent said they had scaled down such units, while 51 percent said they had retained such units.

Up until now, most university hospitals have conducted a PCR test on all patients before they are admitted and before they undergo surgery even if they do not show any COVID-19 symptoms, to prevent the spread of hospital infections.

But after May 8, when the central government will downgrade the severity category of COVID-19 and treat it similar to seasonal influenza, hospitals will no longer receive financial support for doing so from the government.

The government has added medical service fees as a special exception for hospitals to take in COVID-19 patients.

But after May 8, it is unclear how many hospitals will continue accepting COVID-19 patients because there is no financial merit.

At a news conference, Kotaro Yokote, director of Chiba University Hospital and chairman of the Association of Japan Medical Colleges, urged the government to change the situation. 

“The more we see patients, the more financial losses we could suffer,” he said. “I want (the government) to consider a way to aggressively support health care organizations that balance normal medical care and COVID-19 care.”

In the survey, 16 percent of the hospitals said they will not conduct a PCR test after May 8, while 36 percent said they will conduct a PCR test on patients before admitting them in the meantime.

Taking care of COVID-19 patients requires dedicated personnel.

Because medical service fees and other benefits will be decreased after May 8, taking in COVID-19 patients will possibly put hospitals into the red.

Public financial support regarding COVID-19 care will be scaled down step by step after May 8. A wide range of health care organizations are expected to see COVID-19 patients afterward.

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