By Rosalind Russell – Health Sciences North (HSN) officials say the respiratory and flu season has caused pressure and increased wait times.
Emergency department medical director, Dr. Jeff Middaugh says HSN is seeing higher demand in its Emergency Department with patients presenting with cold and flu symptoms, injuries from slips and falls, heart attacks, and other injuries.
He says on most days, by 7 a.m., more than 20 patients are waiting in the ED for an inpatient bed, but that number has more than doubled in recent weeks.
He adds they have not changed visiting hours, but patients with cold or flu symptoms are encouraged to stay home unless they are in acute distress.
Dr. Middagh says with more than 20 various outbreaks also declared at community, group and long-term care homes in Greater Sudbury including two in the hospital itself, there is also added pressure on the hospital.
He adds at this point appointments are not being affected, but if the pressures continue, the various health departments will contact patients directly.
Photo: Dr. Jeff Middaugh, Medical Director for HSN’s Emergency Department, and Dr. Dominique Ansell, Chief of Emergency Medicine at HSN, are reminding patients and visitors that, despite significant pressure and increased wait times due to the respiratory and flu season, HSN remains fully operational with no changes to visiting hours. Photo provided and used with permissions.
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