Grey-Bruce hospitals preparing to help ease provincial capacity crunch

The Sun Times
Jan 12, 2021  •  3 days ago  •  3 minute read
The Owen Sound hospital operated by Grey Bruce Health Services. Photo by Matt Adam For The Sun Times

Grey-Bruce hospitals are preparing to support a “seamless provincial hospital system” and respond to capacity challenges due to surging COVID-19 numbers throughout Ontario according to a joint media release distributed Tuesday.

It means that in the coming days and weeks Grey-Bruce residents requiring hospital care may be admitted to a hospital that is not in their home community.

And, when transferred back from a larger hospital to continue their recovery, depending on capacity at that time, patients may be transferred to another hospital site that is not necessarily a home hospital site.

It also means that patients from outside of Grey-Bruce may be transferred into the region for hospital care.

“In simple terms, every hospital bed is a provincial resource,” the release said. “Most hospitals are increasing bed numbers where staffing is available, and for those hospitals already at capacity, they are attempting to free up capacity by moving patients to other hospitals.”

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Hospitals may have to reduce or stop non-urgent surgeries and procedures to ensure enough beds are available.

Grey Bruce Health Services, Hanover and District Hospital and the South Bruce Grey Health Centre said they will make every effort to ensure loved ones are cared for close to home “however, during these challenging times, a patient may be admitted to a hospital away from your home community”.

“We have a long history of working together with our healthcare partners in Grey-Bruce and beyond, and during this pandemic, together we will do what is needed for local residents, and for the system of care that this province depends on,” said Gary Sims, president and CEO of Grey Bruce Health Services, in a news release. “GBHS has added 28 additional beds to prepare for a surge in COVID-19 and non COVID-19 patients. These beds are in our medical/surgical department, our ICU, and for those patients waiting in hospital to transition to another level of care. We also have a field hospital ready to be opened should the system pressures overwhelm hospital capacity.”

Hanover and District Hospital has added four beds to support additional patient care needs.

“We have ample supplies of personal protective equipment and the needed pharmaceuticals to support the anticipated increase in patients. Our physicians, nurses and all other team members have the tools, equipment and passion to provide exceptional care to whoever comes through our doors during this pandemic and beyond,” said Dr. Randy Montag, chief of staff at Hanover and District Hospital, in a press release.

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Five additional beds have been added at the SGBHC’s Walkerton hospital and work is being done to prepare additional beds in Durham and possibly Kincardine.

“It is critical that the hospital system in Ontario functions as one seamless system during the pandemic to ensure that beds and emergency care are available for not only COVID-19 patients, but also for patients presenting to hospital with heart attacks, stroke, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and many other issues,” said Michael Barrett, South Bruce Grey Health Centre president and CEO, in a press release.

The SBGHC has been working with the London Health Sciences Centre and other regional hospitals to accept lower acuity patients to open up beds in those centres for more acutely ill patients.

According to the joint news release, the three Grey-Bruce hospital corporations are nearing capacity despite the prevalence of COVID-19 being relatively low locally compared to other parts of the province.

Despite that reality, Grey-Bruce hospitals “will be asked to play an active role in meeting the demand of patients across the province”.