Parents, doctor worried by ER wait times as B.C. Children's Hospital sets up emergency operations centre
CBC
B.C. Children's Hospital says respiratory illnesses are driving a spike in visits to the emergency department this fall.
In a statement, the hospital's chief operating officer said Children's is logging 142 to 150 visits per day, up 20 per cent from this time last year. Before April 2021, Sarah Bell said the hospital saw 135 visits per day.
The trend is in part driven by an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, she said, which was foreseen based on trends elsewhere in Canada and globally.
"The rate we are seeing remains relatively low but we are proactively prepared to respond to a respiratory surge and have set up an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at our hospital," Bell said in her email.
"Activating an EOC is a frequently used practice to proactively manage patient access and flow at virtually all acute-care facilities.
"In our ED, we have been seeing mainly viral illnesses, gastroenteritis, fevers, nausea and vomiting and upper respiratory tract infections."
Bell said the uptick comes at a time when health-care staffing remains a problem at Children's and across B.C.'s entire medical system.
"We are continuing to support our clinical staff in the ED to help alleviate the pressures that they continue to face in providing 24/7 emergency care to children and youth."
At least one family doctor is concerned about what the busy emergency department could mean for patients.
"If this is what it looks like now and we haven't hit what is traditionally the peak of respiratory virus season, what is going to happen in November, December, January?" Dr. Anna Wolak asked.
"And will the hospital system and the health-care system, frankly, be able to sustain that?"
Wolak says staff are also impacted by the situation.
"It's scary," she said. "There's nothing more [of a] helpless feeling than knowing there are sick people outside in the waiting room that you cannot get to because you have other patients."
A family that experienced a long wait at Children's in June described it as a frustrating, exhausting experience.
Some Canadian seniors say they're feeling abandoned by the Liberal government's latest inflation relief measure after learning they don't qualify for it.
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
The weather has certainly been gloomy, damp and windy over the past 10 days in Nova Scotia and it's going to continue this weekend.
Premier Susan Holt says the federal tax holiday on some goods announced Thursday could cost New Brunswick $62 million in revenue.
Thousands in Quebec's Montérégie region will not get their flu and COVID-19 vaccine directly at their seniors' residence anymore.
A 17-year-old boy is dead after he was shot by an RCMP officer in Norway House Cree Nation on Friday.
Saskatchewan road crews and residents alike are getting ready for another icy blast of winter this weekend.
Student leaders at the University of Alberta are criticizing the school's plan to hike tuition — particularly for international students.
Environment Canada says a new fall storm will bring winds gusting up to 110 km/h to southwestern British Columbia on Friday, potentially causing more outages and travel disruption.
Environment Canada says strong winds could cause damage to roofs and windows in P.E.I.'s Kings County and Prince County this weekend, with power outages possible from fallen tree branches.
City council has approved a 3.6 per cent increase in municipal property taxes for next year. The decision follows five days of debate on adjustments to next year's civic budget.