Cornwall, Ont. hospital asking visitors to be kinder to staff after rise in abuse

File photo of the Cornwall Community Hospital in Cornwall, Ont. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)

The Cornwall Community Hospital is asking visitors to its emergency room to be kinder and more patient with staff and physicians.

The hospital says it is experiencing longer wait times for less serious visits, like many hospitals across Canada, but claims there has been a rise in verbal and physical abuse from frustrated patients and families.

Like other hospitals, visitors to the ER are triaged based on the severity of their condition, staff explain, and there are many reasons why someone may not be seen right away.

"There is a lot happening behind the scenes that you may not see in a waiting room. For example, a trauma or patient experiencing an overdose may arrive by ambulance, or perhaps we need to prioritize a patient who is having a stroke or a heart attack," wrote chief of staff Dr. Anastaios Boubalos in a statement on the hospital's website. "In those instances, it is a full team effort to care for the patient and others may have to wait, perhaps longer than usual, as we work through some challenges. This is not unique to CCH."

Staff say the hospital sees about 135 patients per day and most are seen in under eight hours.

"According to provincial data for January 2023, the vast majority of high-urgency patients finished their emergency visit at CCH well under the provincial target of 8 hours, spending just 5.6 hours of total time in the Emergency Department. The average time for all emergency patients to be seen by a physician was just 2.8 hours in January," a news release from the hospital says. "More importantly, the Emergency Department at CCH has also remained open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."

Patients may call Ontario Health 811 at any time for advice from a registered nurse if they are not experiencing a medical emergency, the hospital says. Those in crisis are still urged to call 911 and visit the ER. Staff ask for understanding.

"Our emergency teams are working non-stop to provide uninterrupted care for our community and are doing the best that they can," wrote hospital president and CEO Jeanette Despatie. "We understand that you may be in discomfort or pain as you wait to be treated, but please remain kind with our staff and physicians who are committed to providing equitable and exceptional care."