Flu epidemic: the “Hospital under pressure” plan triggered for healthcare establishments in West Hérault

La fréquentation des urgences de Béziers est en hausse de plus de 10 % par rapport à l'an dernier à la même époque.

Pour faire face à l’épidémie de grippe, répondre à la situation critique et aux besoins de lits d’hospitalisation, hôpital public et cliniques privées du Biterrois collaborent.

The Saint-Privat clinics in Boujan-sur-Libron, Champeau in Béziers, Pasteur in Pézenas and Les 3 Vallées in Bédarieux as well as the Béziers hospital center have just jointly launched their “Hospital under pressure” plan. This leads to close collaboration between the establishments to deal with the flu epidemic.

For about two weeks, in fact, the situation has been getting tense. “With a significant increase in emergency room attendance, of the order of 10% on average”, indicates the management of the Béziers hospital.

A 16% increase in emergency room attendance

For example, between January 2 and 8, 2025, 1,259 patients were admitted to the hospital's emergency room, “an increase of 16% compared to the previous year”. And this while the “hospitalization rate from emergency rooms increases by 30%”. As a result, waiting times in emergency rooms are increasing sharply, creating tensions among patients and their families.

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In view of this increase in pressure and to deal with the lack of hospital beds, this plan provides for a territorial organization of care, coordinated between public and private institutions. A way of responding to the situation by trying to avoid the famous White Plan, which leads to the radical deprogramming of all interventions.

Constant communication between institutions

More concretely, the management of the Béziers hospital center explains: “The “Hospital under pressure” plan aims to optimize the management of emergency admission flows and hospitalizations. This mobilization is based on three main axes: the joint mobilization of hospitalization bed resources; constant communication between establishments to coordinate patient transfers; optimization of care pathways to limit congestion”.

“The healthcare establishments of West Hérault have always stood together in the face of crises. Today, we are still pooling our strengths to ensure optimal patient care in this difficult context”, emphasizes Philippe Banyols, director of Béziers hospital. Lamine Gharbi, president of the Cap Santé group (Pezenas and Bédarieux clinics), salutes “the commitment of the private sector alongside the public hospital. It is this cooperation that will make it possible to strengthen the efficiency of the care of our fellow citizens in the region.”

The peak of the epidemic has not yet been reached: a call for understanding from the population

As of January 8, 2025, health indicators in Hérault showed a continuous increase in influenza cases, with an incidence rate reaching 420 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while RSV (respiratory virus) and Covid-19 continue to circulate actively. And the national indicators published by Santé Publique France demonstrate the continuation of this increase in influenza activity in France. In this context and in order not to further congest the system, the health establishments of West Hérault emphasize that emergencies must be reserved for “serious or vital situations”. People with mild symptoms (moderate fever, cough, non-serious pain) are invited to consult their doctor or go to the Maisons Médicales de Garde. In case of doubt, it is recommended to contact the 15 center before traveling. The establishments call for the understanding and support of the population during this sensitive period.