Coronavirus: Gradual resumption of services to begin at Hamilton hospitals

Things are slowly starting to return to normal at Hamilton’s hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

After temporarily suspending non-emergent appointments and procedures in response to the COVID-19 health crisis, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) have received approval from Ontario Health to begin gradually resuming scheduled care.

It means, starting Friday, May 29, local hospitals will resume postponed care, starting with patients who have the most urgent needs, in what is being called “a slow, phased approach.”

Those patients will be contacted by their hospital or family doctor’s office to reschedule their appointment or procedure.

In the meantime, any patient who is concerned about their health status is being told to contact their doctor or surgeon’s office for guidance.

If a patient has serious symptoms, they should call 9-1-1 immediately.

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See the joint statement from HHS and SJHH below:

After temporarily suspending non-emergent appointments and procedures in order to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph`s Healthcare Hamilton have received approval from Ontario Health to begin gradually resuming scheduled care.

Both organizations are eager to move ahead with our respective plans, which represent phase one of a staged approach to resuming postponed care, starting with patients who have the most urgent needs. This gradual approach will enable us to remain flexible in our on-going response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients who are identified as having urgent needs will be contacted by their hospital or family doctor’s office to reschedule their appointment or procedure.

In the meantime, any patient who is concerned about their health status should contact their doctor or surgeon’s office for guidance. If a patient has serious symptoms, they should call 9-1-1 immediately. Hamilton’s emergency departments remain open and safe.

We appreciate the patience and support of our patients and community as we begin to resume some services at our hospitals.

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