The second change to Winnipeg’s emergency room system was put into effect Tuesday morning, Winnipeg’s Victoria Hospital was converted to Urgent Care.
The ER signs at Victoria Hospital were replaced with Urgent Care signage before the conversion became official at 8 a.m.
This change comes a day after Misericorida’s Urgent Care closed down, all part of the province’s overhaul to Manitoba’s health system.
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READ MORE: First of many Winnipeg ER changes now in effect
At least five stretcher vans were seen leaving the Victoria Hospital around 9 a.m. as part of the transferring protocol.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said Victoria’s ER typically saw 88 patients per day, but anticipated at least half would be able to seek treatment at its new urgent care centre, with the remainder moved to St. Boniface, Grace or HSC.
EMS said last week they’ve been practicing for the changes to their routes and anticipate a smooth transition.
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Ryan Sneath, Assistant Chief of Paramedic Operations, said under the new system, using a scenario of a person experiencing chest pains, a person whose family drives them to the hospital would be assessed by the ER team and then transferred to St. Boniface for cardiac care.
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