Thunder Bay hospital swamped amid warnings flu season, COVID-19 could stress care services
Health officials say staying up to date on vaccines will help ease the strain
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in northwestern Ontario is again warning of high volumes, limited inpatient beds, and delays in its emergency department as it prepares to deal with cold and flu season alongside an expected surge in COVID-19.
Hospital officials urge the public to first seek help from primary care providers for "less severe" emergencies before coming to the hospital.
"As patients are seen based on an assessment of individual illness, this will likely mean longer than normal wait times for those that have less severe emergencies," the hospital said in a media release.
"Calling an ambulance will not necessarily get you faster attention once you are at the hospital."
People who are unsure about their condition and the treatment they might need can get health-related advice from a registered nurse by calling Health Connect Ontario.
Hospital officials said that as of Monday, the medical surgical hospital occupancy was at 107.3 per cent, with occupancy in the intensive care unit (ICU) at 90.9 percent. It's been at, near or over capacity for much of the year.
"We are asking for everyone's patience as our teams prioritize the needs of each patient. Please be mindful of extended wait times and be courteous to staff if you are using the [emergency department]," the hospital release reads.
Emergency departments jammed across Canada
The Thunder Bay hospital, which serves as a regional hub for northwestern Ontario, is not alone when it comes to strain on its systems.
Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, and Ontario are all feeling the strain, as emergency departments are swamped, even before the traditional flu season begins, raising concerns about the winter months ahead.
On Tuesday, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, also warned of a resurgence of COVID-19. All Canadians should get their dose of a recently authorized bivalent vaccine as a precaution, she said.
That resurgence could come as Canadians gather indoors while the weather cools, increasing the chances of spreading the virus. That was the case in years past, and may happen again and result in a strain on the fragile health system, Tam said.
An Ontario Health report leaked by the provincial Liberal opposition last week illustrates the extent of hospital overcrowding in the province and outlines ways emergency rooms are worse off now then they were a year ago.
Patients in an emergency room waited more than 33 hours for an inpatient bed in August, a 54 per cent increase compared with the same month a year earlier. Ambulance offload times also rose, with patients waiting up to 83 minutes before entering the hospital.
The president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) said the extent of hospital wait times noted in the report is a consequence of ongoing inattention to the significant problems plaguing the health-care system.
The Ontario government recently passed legislation as part of its plan to help ease pressures on the health-care system. Proposed changes aim to hire more health professionals, free up hospital beds and reduce surgical wait lists.
In August, Ontario's Progressive Conservative government passed Bill 7. The controversial legislation changed the rules so hospital patients awaiting long-term care could be forced to nursing homes not of their choosing on a temporary basis.
The legislation is meant to address the urgent need to free up acute care beds in hospitals.
CAEP president Mike Howlett said it's a solution that won't make much difference due to a lack of resources in communities, outside of hospitals.
"It's kind of like if you're going to drive from Toronto to Thunder Bay and in Sudbury, you're about to run out of gas. So you put in a dollar of gas. Well, you're not going to get to Thunder Bay," Howlett said.
Meanwhile, health officials have been warning the public of a challenging fall and winter ahead, and have been urging residents to get their influenza and COVID-19 booster shots.
Public health also feeling the strain
The Northwestern Health Unit's medical officer of health said increased COVID-19 activity in other regions of the province is a concern, along with general influenza.
Dr. Kit Young Hoon said the province has seen how influenza can overwhelm the hospital system, which is of even greater concern given ongoing challenges happening right now.
"All those things combined, it puts us in a situation that can be quite unstable," she said."This is our window of opportunity as a collective to get vaccinated.
"Everyone should be considering masking when they go into indoor public settings. But I think the main thing that everyone needs to be doing right now is thinking about getting vaccinated."
Young Hoon said many public health agencies are feeling the continued strain of COVID-19, which means other programming and initiatives have been pushed to the wayside.
"It is necessary for us to think about other work that needs to get done. So the catch-up of immunization, other immunizations is necessary," she said.
"Then also look into other work that public health nurse staff tend to do, so I think that things such as them addressing opioid overdoses, supporting high risk families through healthy babies, and healthy children programming."
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With files from Benjamin Shingler, Amy Hadley