Kingston Health Sciences Centre is asking residents to be more selective when it comes to making trips to the emergency room after seeing a record number of patients receiving emergency care.
“It’s a chaotic environment for the patients and staff,” said Mike McDonald, executive vice-president of patient care and community partnerships with the hospital organization.
“Before coming to the emergency department, we’re asking the community to please consider their best options for treatment.”
KHSC officials are urging residents, when possible, to visit their family doctor, a walk-in clinic or pharmacy in order to keep space open for the critically ill or injured.
“If you’re going to come to the emergency department, be prepared to wait. We do have long waits,” Macdonald said.
Between the emergency room at Kingston General Hospital, the urgent care centre and children’s outpatient clinic at Hotel Dieu, more people are using emergency rooms in Kingston than ever before.
But unlike in the last two years, COVID-19 is not to blame. Rather, KHSC is dealing with a sudden influx of critically ill patients suffering from things like strokes, heart attacks and traumatic injuries.
Over the last few weeks, the emergency department has been seeing more than 200 patients a day and the urgent care centre is seeing upwards of 140 patients per day. Normally, those numbers would sit at 170 and 110 respectively, the hospital organization said.
“We have 37 beds in the main emergency department. (Tuesday), during the afternoon, we had 89 patients registered at one time. That means that patients are in the hallways and the corridors,” MacDonald said.
Right now more than ever, KHSC officials are asking those with less serious illnesses to consult the hospital’s website to see if there are options other than emergency care for their ailments.
“There are certain things, like a sprain or a bad cut that won’t stop bleeding, that are quite appropriate for the Hotel Dieu site,” said Elizabeth Bardon, vice president of mission and strategy for the hospital organization.
If you’re unsure where to go, KHSC suggests calling Telehealth Ontario, which is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-797-0000.
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