Perth, Ont. hospital ER reopens after three week closure

The emergency room at the hospital in Perth, Ont. will reopen today, after a staffing shortage forced the closure of the department for more than three weeks.

The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital closed the emergency department at its Perth Hospital on July 2, after COVID-19 sidelined some of the staff. The ER was originally expected to gradually reopen on July 7, but the closure was extended due to staffing shortages.

"The PSFDH team and Board of Directors sincerely appreciates your patience as the organization worked through this COVID-19-related challenge," the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital said on its website.

"The temporary closure allowed the PSFDH team to coordinate and solidify staffing schedules and coverage to ensure that all employees and physicians have a safe work environment and our patients received safe care."

The hospital transferred available staff to the Smiths Falls hospital emergency department, which remained open for the past three weeks.

Hospital officials say the emergency department at the Perth Hospital will be open 24/7 starting Sunday at 7:30 a.m.

"While we all need to acknowledge that the risks posed by COVID are ever-present, we have developed a strong plan to ensure that we can re-establish Emergency services to our community," PSFDH President and CEO Michael Cohen said in a statement. "I want to thank the staff and physicians for all their hard work and dedication to the communities that we serve."

The closure of the emergency department at the Perth Hospital was the first of several hospitals in eastern Ontario to reduce capacity due to staffing shortages this summer.

The Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria, Ont. has closed its emergency department overnight until Aug. 3. The Kingston Health Sciences Centre is limiting the daily number of patients to be seen at the Urgent Care Centre at the Hotel Dieu Hospital.