Viral season is straining the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, forcing it to cancel surgeries and bump some staff members from their offices this week to make more room for incoming patients. Read More“This is just the tip of the iceberg for flu season and we are facing such a crunch,” president and CEO Michael Cohen says.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg for flu season and we are facing such a crunch,” president and CEO Michael Cohen says.
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Viral season is straining the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, forcing it to cancel surgeries and bump some staff members from their offices this week to make more room for incoming patients.
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“It hit us like an absolute ton of bricks,” hospital president and CEO Michael Cohen said.
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The hospital, which has locations in Perth and Smiths Falls, was already over capacity, but a surge of sick patients this week led it to warn members of the public that wait times would be longer for non-urgent illnesses.
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“The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, like many hospitals in our region, is facing severe capacity challenges due to a shortage of inpatient beds,” the hospital wrote in a notice to the public. “Our emergency department is working tirelessly to provide care, but patients will be prioritized based on the severity of their condition. This means longer wait time for non-urgent cases.”
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The Evening Citizen
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The hospital asked people for patience and understanding “during this critical time.”
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Cohen said 40 per cent of the hospital’s beds were being used by patients waiting for rooms in a long-term care home, leaving the hospital with little wiggle room for surges, which are common during viral season.
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As of Monday morning, there were 14 sick patients waiting to be admitted, creating an urgent situation in a 100-bed hospital that was already well over capacity.
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“It feels like the typical seasonal flu has hit us with a vengeance. It is really challenging for the staff and physicians,” Cohen said. “They really feel like they are the backstop for the whole health system.”
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The challenging situation in Perth and Smiths Falls comes as flu season is just beginning across Canada. Experts are predicting it could be severe, based on the severity of flu in the southern hemisphere earlier this year and the current situation in Japan, which has been overwhelmed with severe flu cases.
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Cohen admitted he and others were concerned that they were already so strained with flu season just beginning.
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“That is the thing that is keeping us up at night. This is just the tip of the iceberg for flu season and we are facing such a crunch,” he said.
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Cohen said other hospitals were facing similar capacity challenges ahead of the worst of viral season, which typically strains hospital resources. Many hospitals are also have high numbers of patients waiting for long-term care beds. For example, The Ottawa Hospital was at more than 100 per cent capacity as of the beginning of November.