Local hospitals at or near capacity as winter storm hits

Hospitals in Waterloo region are at or near capacity as a winter storm hits and the busy holiday season approaches.

As of Friday:

• Grand River Hospital was at 133 per cent capacity in pediatrics, 107 per cent capacity in medicine, 102 per cent capacity for adult mental health and 105 per cent capacity for children's mental health.
• Cambridge Memorial Hospital is nearly 100 per cent occupied, "but when you factor in staff illness, staff off on the short term, we are effectively full."
• St. Mary's General Hospital said occupancy this week has ranged from 95 per cent to 102 per cent. It was at 95 per cent Friday morning.

When it comes to the winter storm — which could mean more people accessing emergency care due to vehicular collisions or slips and falls — all three hospitals say they're ready to handle an influx in patients.

"Teams already have plans in place which have been put to good use throughout the pandemic to manage increased volumes throughout the hospital by flexing existing and unconventional space. We'll continue to manage capacity using these established processes," Cheryl Evans, the hospital's spokesperson, said in an email to CBC News.

Stephan Beckhoff, the spokesperson for Cambridge Memorial, said people will be triaged according to their illness or injury. 

"Those who come to an emergency department with grave injuries will be seen right away. Despite the longer wait times for some, everyone will be seen," he said.

Beckhoff noted the hospital remains in contact with other hospitals in Waterloo region, Guelph and Wellington County, so if the hospitals find they are getting too full, another hospital can take in patients.

All the hospitals offer hotel stays for staff who don't feel they can get home safely.

Holidays a busy time in hospitals

People may want to consider alternative options to going to the emergency room if they can.

Sarah Farwell, spokesperson for St. Mary's General, noted for less urgent needs, people could make an appointment with their primary care provider, attend walk-in clinics or visit Health Connect Ontario. The Regional COVID, Cold and Flu Care Clinic is also open through the holidays.

Kate Kobbes is vice president of clinical services and chief nurse executive for the Wellington Healthcare Alliance, which includes Groves Memorial Hospital in Fergus, Palmerston District Hospital and Louise Marshall Hospital in Mount Forest. She noted there's a local resource called Know Your Options (link opens a PDF or see images below) to help people understand where they can go for health care.

She says it lists "what pharmacies are open, what online medical portals and assessments there are available and then of course your own family doctor and any walk-in clinics that you've used previously are available."

"Listen to yourself and if you feel you need medical care, explore those options ... if it will get you the medical attention you need," she said.

"If you do need to attend the emergency department, I would not ignore medical symptoms."

Be kind to hospital staff

The Guelph General Hospital website notes the emergency room is "extremely busy" and people should prepare for longer wait time. As well, the website asks people to be "be patient and kind to our hardworking, dedicated staff."

Stephanie Pearsall, vice president of clinical programs and the chief nursing executive at Cambridge Memorial Hospital, told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition on Friday that they're seeing frustrated people in the emergency department. They understand why people get upset when they need to wait for care.

She added the holidays can be a busy time in hospitals anyway, but right now many workers are feeling drained.

"Staff are very tired. They're often working short-staffed, they have families, they have children of their own that can be sick and so it is trying to manage all of that. Plus if they're not well, they feel that they are letting their coworkers down," she said.

The hospital has hired a number of new people, bringing the number of vacant positions down from 200 in the summer to 92 now, but Pearsall says there's more recruitment that needs to take place.

In the meantime, she says people can help ease the load on local hospitals by taking precautions to prevent becoming sick.

"There are still a lot of respiratory viruses circulating," she said.

"If you're symptomatic, we would say please don't gather. Stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands, get your vaccine … and really stay home if you're sick, especially if you're in contact with vulnerable people who are elderly, are our pediatric population, certainly newborns. We want them to be safe as well."

Know Your Options document: