Surge of patients at Sudbury hospital prompts officials to ask for help

Officials with Health Sciences North say they've reached a crisis point, as they deal with a surge of patients needing to be admitted to hospital.

Overflow areas have been created at the hospital, Health Sciences North chief operating officer Joe Pilon said.

"We've used patient lounges. We've actually had to put some patients in the hallway. It is our over-capacity protocol that allows us to move patient into non-acute-bed areas ... to take the pressure off emerg so that emerg can continue to see patients in a timely way."

Pilon said staff have explained the situation to families who have loved ones in lounges and halls.

"For he most part, they are very understanding."

What has caused the dramatic rise in patients needing to be admitted?

"There has been no real identifiable reason," Pilon continued.

On a typical weekend the hospital would admit 40 patients a day and during the week, 70 a day.

This Sunday they admitted 52 patients and, on Monday, they admitted 93.

"We've never seen this pressure before."

The hospital is also asking long-term care homes to avoid sending residents to the hospital if there is a doctor at the facility.

People are asked to consider walk-in clinics and visit their family doctor if they are sick. Hospitals in the region are also asked to go over capacity and accept some of the patients who are transferred back to their communities.

Ornge air is helping to move some of these patients. The Sudbury Community Care Access Centre has also brought in extra staff to help move people from the hospital earlier.

Pilon said he hopes the situation will be stable by Friday.