Child waits in CHEO ER 32 hours for a bed during Ottawa hospital’s busiest September
The president of CHEO says a child waited in the emergency department 32 hours before being admitted this week, as the children's hospital continues to deal with record patient volumes and staffing challenges.
President Alex Munter outlined the situation at Ottawa's children's hospital during an appearance before a parliamentary committee studying children's health and how the federal government can respond to kids' needs.
Munter told Members of Parliament that 213 children visited the emergency department at CHEO on Wednesday, and staff have seen "nearly 300 patients" a day through a record September.
"The longest length of stay in our emergency department (Wednesday) was 32 hours, that is because we are running occupancy today of 105 per cent which means there are no beds and so children wait in the emergency department with their parents until a bed is available," Munter said Thursday afternoon.
"September is on track to be the busiest September in the history of CHEO, CHEO is a 48 year old organization. May, June and July of this year were the busiest May, June and July in the history of CHEO."
As of Thursday, CHEO was averaging nearly 224 patients a day in the emergency department in September. Last September, which was CHEO's busiest September ever for emergency department visits, the average was just over 221 patients a day.
Munter says CHEO is caring for patients transferred to Ottawa from "far, far away" because of a lack of beds in their community.
At 8 p.m. Thursday, CHEO reported 50 patients waiting to see a physician in the emergency department, with the longest wait time to see a physician over six hours.
On Thursday, Ottawa Public Health declared Ottawa is in a new wave of COVID-19, adding Ottawa is "heading into the respiratory illness season where we expect respiratory viruses to be circulating."
Munter says the high patient volume has resulted in cancelled surgeries and procedures for young patients, and the wait list for care is getting longer and longer.
"Here's what you won't see today if you come to CHEO – you won't see the children whose surgery has been cancelled because we have no beds, we need to reallocate surgical beds for kids being admitted for respiratory viruses including COVID," Munter said.
"You won't see the thousand to 1,500 kids who will be referred this month and will be referred for diagnostic imaging, medical or surgical clinics, mental health care, rehabilitation care."
Munter warned Members of Parliament that 12,000 to 18,000 children would be added to the wait list for procedures this year.
"Why should you care about it happening at CHEO? Because it's kids, it’s the future. When a child has to wait for diagnosis, for care or for therapy, they suffer," Munter told MPs. "They suffer today and tomorrow and this year and next year, and that's bad enough. On top of that, it could affect and it will affect for many the entire trajectory of their lives."
The record number of patients and 105 per cent occupancy rate at the children's hospital comes as the hospital deals with a staffing shortage.
"You won't see the approximately 250 staff and physicians whose positions are vacant because of the mission critical health human resources challenges that we face in Canada," Munter said.
The Standing Committee on Health held a hearing on Thursday as part of a study on children's health.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.