Kingston General Hospital 'bursting at the seams' with COVID-19 and respiratory illness patients
The Kingston General Hospital says a surge of emergency department inpatients, including a day that had a near record 580 admissions, has the hospital struggling to keep up as the respiratory virus season peaks across the province.
A thread of social media posts by the Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), which operates the general hospital, said they are 'bursting at the seams' with the increase in ER admissions and are beginning to open 'non-traditional spaces' to deal with the influx.
"We continue to see patients with COVID-19 as infection rates hold steady across our region. We’re averaging about 15-20 COVID inpatients per-day, some in the ICU. Meanwhile, we’ve now hit peak RSV season and flu cases are beginning to rise in the area," KHSC said on X.
"Meanwhile, our Emergency Department (ED) is also seeing high volumes of patients. Despite our best efforts, some patients are seeing longer wait times in the ED for less urgent issues. We know it is frustrating, but we have to treat the sickest people first."
An emailed statement by KHSC says wait times for an initial assessment remain around average at 3.1 hours, but recognize that patients with less urgent conditions and needs are experiencing longer wait times.
Jason Hann, the vice president of patient care and the chief nurse for KHSC told CTV Morning Live on Wednesday that they are putting 'surge plans' in place.
"We're anticipating for about a 120 per cent occupancy rate across the Kingston Health Science Centre and that's for both our pediatric and our adult population," Hann said.
A large gym at the General Hospital is being prepared as an impatient unit in case the hospital would need to transfer people from the emergency department during the holidays.
The centre said this is occurring amid a worldwide shortage of healthcare workers and the hospital is often short-staffed. They are working to recruit more staff and are making progress, but qualified individuals are "hard to find."
"A number of the patients we are admitting each day are children. We are adjusting many of our inpatient areas to make more room for the rising numbers of pediatric patients who are coming to us for help – both from our region, and from other areas in the province," KHSC's statement on X said.
The centre is reminding people in the community to get vaccinated, wear a mask and stay home if you don't feel well.
"We all hate to miss those special holiday events when we’re under the weather, but staying home in your PJ’s isn’t nearly as bad as sharing a virus with a vulnerable family member or friend," the centre said.
Meanwhile, health officials across the province are warning that an increase in COVID-19 and respiratory infections are causing higher than average wait times across the country.
The Monfort Hospital in the east-end of Ottawa reported wait times of up to 20 hours for a full assessment by a physician (it does not state the wait for an initial assessment).
The Ottawa Hospital and the Queensway-Carleton Hospital also said they are experiencing higher than average patient volumes.
The Kingston General Hospital does not list current wait times online. The latest statistics by Health Quality Ontario, which monitored wait times from across the province in October, found that patients waited an average of 3.1 hours to get an initial assessment by a physician.
Patients are triaged upon arrival and then given an initial visit with a doctor before receiving a full assessment.
The provincial average wait time for an initial assessment was 2.1 hours in October.
With files from CTV Morning Live Ottawa
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
'Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG
The President of Poland says his country would 'of course' be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is 'not interested' in subsidizing future projects.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
A top Qatari official urges Israel and Hamas to do more to reach a ceasefire deal
A senior Qatari official has urged both Israel and Hamas to show "more commitment and more seriousness" in ceasefire negotiations in interviews with Israeli media, as pressure builds on both sides to move toward a deal that would set Israeli hostages free and bring potential respite in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.