Pembroke, Ont. hospital anticipating doctor shortages this spring and summer
The Pembroke Regional Hospital says it is expecting longer wait times this spring and summer because of anticipated physician shortages.
The hospital shared a statement on social media asking prospective patients to be prepared to wait longer than usual this May to September.
"While there is no risk of closure of the hospital's Emergency Department, patients are being asked to prepare for longer-than-usual waits, at times, and, if appropriate, to consider alternative options for non-emergency care," it said on Facebook.
These include seeing a family physician, contacting the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre (1-844-727-6404) or going to a walk-in clinic in the west end of Ottawa.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
For patients like Michael McDonald, who has had to visit Pembroke's emergency room in the past, the thought of having to wait even long is a daunting one.
"(I was) in the waiting room facing the glass. I didn't know I was being called, I didn't hear anything. I was left for over ten hours," the Pembroke resident tells CTV News.
"They're very slow to get you in. Once you see a doctor, you're fine. But you just sit there and wait. It's ridiculous."
The Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre (VTAC) as created in Renfrew County to help fill the gaps for residents without a family doctor and to ease the strain on local emergency rooms.
"We're seeing about 300 people, 300 interactions every day, and this is reaching our capacity," said Mathieu Grenier, deputy chief with the Renfrew County Paramedic Service.
Community paramedics who are able to provide care for minor or acute issues, such as flu-like symptoms, as well as administer vaccinations staff the centres.
Grenier says with the extra demand expected this summer now, the paramedic service has reached out for more help.
"We have requested for the province to provide us more funding to increase capacity, and we're waiting for them to give us an answer. And with those extra physician hours we could increase our capacity towards 350 to 400 patients every day."
Anyone experiencing a medical emergency is still asked to call 9-1-1 or go to their nearest emergency department.
"We would like to thank our community for your ongoing support and we ask for your patience with staff and physicians during this exceptionally challenging time," the hospital said.
Visiting the Pembroke Hospital Tuesday, Renfrew resident Anne Andrews says she's gone out of her way to get faster care when needing to visit the ER.
"We've gone to Barry's Bay, Deep River, because you don't have the wait times that you have here, because you don't have the population. So you go somewhere where there's less people."
Staffing shortages in the region have contributed to temporary closures of some emergency departments, most notably in Almonte and Carleton Place, which each saw several closures last year.
Earlier this year, a poll of hospital staff in Ottawa and the Valley suggested many hospital workers are considering leaving the industry. Increased workload and inadequate compensation were seen as the main drivers of dissatisfaction and burnout among health-care providers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE 'Sick to my stomach': People grieve Jasper National Park by sharing favourite photos
As an out-of-control wildfire roared through Alberta’s famed Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday, many are fearing the worst as officials warned of 'significant loss' within the area.
LIVE UPDATES 'Hopefully it's better than what we're thinking': Jasper wildfire damage details anxiously awaited
Officials are waiting to learn Thursday morning the extent of wildfire damage in the Jasper townsite of Jasper National Park, which flames began to eat away at the night before.
Canadian women's soccer team staffer given suspended prison sentence over drone incident, prosecutor says
A Canada women's soccer team staffer has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after flying a drone to film the closed-door training session of the New Zealand team on Monday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Sale of envoy's NYC condo 'expected to exceed' $9M: government
The current official residence for Canada's representative in New York City is 'being readied for sale,' according to a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada.
Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
'I'm so broke': Two Toronto women speak out after losing $76,000 in romance scam
Two women from the Toronto area are speaking out after losing thousands of dollars to a romance scam, including a single mother who lost $62,000.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Loblaw to settle class action over bread price-fixing for $500 million
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500 million to settle a pair of class-action lawsuits regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
EXCLUSIVE One address, 76 foreign currency dealers: Inside Canada's money service business 'clusters'
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'