Aging population putting pressure on Saskatoon hospitals

SASKATOON – While conditions have eased somewhat, the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR) says the system remains under intense pressure as it handles a record number of patients at local hospitals.

At its worst on Thursday, 55 people were waiting for a bed and by Friday that number was down to 12.

The region is continuing to do everything possible to avoid hallway care. It’s brought on extra staff and opened additional beds, but these are just short-term solutions.

It’s not more admissions that are putting pressure on emergency departments; instead too many beds are being taken up by people waiting to be moved into long-term care.

“Most of them tend to be frail elderly individuals who can no longer manage at home even with appropriate supports,” said Maura Davies, health region CEO.

A growing aging population is putting immense pressure on the health care system, but experts say it’s more of a social issue than a health one.

“Hospitals are acute care facilities and they don’t need to be basically utilized by many of the elderly, we need to keep them at home first, whenever we can so maybe we need more at home health services, we need possibly more extended care facilities,” said Dr. Robert Buckingham, executive director of the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Public Health.

“As a province, we have a high proportion of long term care beds compared to the national average, what we don’t have are many other options that are subsidized, so in many other provinces there are more assisted living and personal care homes and we have few of those and most of the options certainly require people to pay for them,” added Davies.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health says it’s aware of the problem and is shifting its focus towards care for seniors.

“The Regina-Qu’Appelle Health Region is piloting a home first program that is targeted at working with seniors hoping to delay or prevent acute care admissions and to make sure that people are appropriately supported in their home setting,” said Deb Jordan, the ministry’s executive director of acute & emergency services.

In the meantime, the health region is bracing for the weekend rush.

Residents are still being asked to only attend emergency departments if it is a true emergency.

The region hopes to get a handle on the situation, for the short term at least, in a couple of days.