In response to “extraordinary” challenges, The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario says it is redeploying employees and looking at online tools to assist families in navigating care options.
Due to increased patient volumes and personnel shortages that have resulted in postponed surgeries and other treatments, CHEO has warned families of lengthy wait times at its emergency room.
The hospital in Ottawa described today the measures it is taking to guarantee that patients receive safe treatment, including adding shifts, shifting more medical experts to frontline roles, and integrating specialists with clinical care teams to ensure that patients are discharged more quickly.
According to CHEO, it is trying to increase the number of positions in its emergency room, enhance the website’s wait time modelling, and provide new online tools to make it easier for families to find and get care.
The hospital reports that its medical units are currently 124% full due to an increase in patients needing critical and mental health care, and that the six months from April to September were the busiest in its history.
Long wait times have been reported at CHEO, Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, and McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton due to increased demand and pressure on their respective facilities, which have also reported a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses and staff shortages.
To address lengthy wait times, Ontario Children’s Hospital plans to reassign workers and use internet tools.
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