Record Staff
With an exceptionally high volume of patients in the emergency rooms at Granby Hospital and Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital, the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS has asked residents to consider going to different locations for health care services.
In a press release, the Eastern Townships’ local health authority noted that there are many people who are going to these emergency rooms with minor health problems. There are dozens of people waiting to be hospitalized, and bed capacity has reached its limit.
According to Santé Estrie, Granby Hospital’s emergency room is currently overcapacity with 31 patients and only 20 beds, as well as 12 people waiting for hospitalization. Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital has 16 beds and 22 patients, as well as 15 waiting for hospitalization.
President and Deputy General Manager Robin Marie Coleman said if people do not need urgent care, they should explore other options before going to the emergency room. This should always be the case before heading to a hospital, she added.
“A person whose health condition requires urgent care should not hesitate to go to the emergency room. Our teams are putting all the measures in place to welcome the population in a safe manner,” said Coleman.
However, the hospitals are not necessarily turning away people who need emergency care. They want to limit the amount of people who do not need emergency health services in order to open up beds for those who are in need of emergency services.
If someone is not in a state of emergency, the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS recommends staying at home, consulting Info-Santé by dialling 811, speaking to a pharmacist, seeing a family doctor, or heading to a walk-in medical clinic.
