With hospitals in various areas of the province having to announce emergency room closures, the Wellington Health Care Alliance is keeping an eye on it’s own situation.
In a statement to The Grand 101, the alliance says closures are a possibility, but rural hospitals are fully staffed for this weekend.
The statement adds Fergus, Mount Forest and Palmerston hospital sites are all experiencing higher than normal emergency room visits. There are numerous reasons for this, including a shortage of family doctors, residents of other communities searching for shorter wait times, and the domino effect of other hospital restricting their ER times.
The Alliance also adds if ER closures become a reality, it will make very effort to communicate that well in advance.
If patients are not able to get an appointment with their family physician, and their situation is not a medical emergency, they could choose a different health care option. Choices are:
Telehealth Ontario
Free and confidential. Available 24/7
Phone: 1-866-797-0000 TTY: 1-866-797-0007
Child/Youth Virtual Care
https://www.urgentcareontario.ca/
Mental Health Support:
Here 24/7
1-844-437-4246
TTY: 877-688-550
For a full list of Waterloo-Wellington health care resources (including walk-in clinics) click here.
