Modern methodology

February 20, Lepel /Own. inf./. In the near future, another department will be opened for people with drug addiction at the Lepel Regional Psychiatric Hospital. It will be located in the currently vacant two-story building No. 1.

The hospital has four departments: two psychiatric, one for drug addiction, and one psychosomatic. Why was the choice made for a new department for drug addicts? This is logical: recently, there has been an increase in the number of patients with this particular disease. Moreover, people of all ages suffer from this ailment.

The administration will be located next to the drug addiction department in the new building, and a large assembly hall will be opened. The two buildings will be connected by a passage, thus bringing the layout closer to the standard one. The number of beds will increase by 40-50, and new jobs for about 25-30 people will be created. The cost of this renovation is four billion rubles. And they expect to complete all the work within a year. The premises, currently renovated for the administration, will be used for the medical archive. Psychologists will also conduct consultations here. By the way, a couple of years ago, there was no such position in the staffing table, but now two psychologists are working.

Another innovation is the introduction of a modern method of working with people suffering from alcohol addiction in the first quarter. For this purpose, equipment worth more than 20 million rubles is being purchased. A team of doctors – a psychologist, a therapist, a narcologist, and a psychotherapist – will provide assistance to patients. Recently, Lepel specialists in this field underwent training at the Belarusian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education.

Thanks to previously implemented methods, doctors can now determine with high accuracy why a person drinks. The hospital has adopted a course towards abandoning traditional coding. This does not mean that if a patient wishes to be coded, they will be refused. The transition to a modern methodology will be carried out gradually. The doctor will determine what will be more effective for the patient through their prescription. At the same time, as chief physician Alexander Kopytov notes, unfortunately, about 90 percent of people seek help to stop binge drinking, not to be cured. Long-term treatment is necessary to get rid of alcohol dependence. For one to two years, the patient must be under supervision: specialists monitor medication intake and provide psychological support. And as in any endeavor where a happy outcome is expected, the patient themselves must have a strong desire to be cured of the ailment.

Ekaterina OSOVSKAYA