Whitehorse General Hospital is seeing a surge in business – causing some patients to be treated in corridors and offices instead of rooms designed for care.
The Department of Health and Social Services has been posting on social media channels that the hospital is unusually active this week.
“A reminder that Whitehorse General Hospital is very busy. In particular, our emergency department and inpatient units are once again experiencing higher than normal volume and demand.”
Here’s what you need to know, in the words of the department:
- “If you need urgent care, don’t hesitate to go to the nearest emergency department or dial 911.
- Wait times in WGH’s emergency department may be longer than usual. We appreciate your patience and understanding during these times. Our team continues to prioritize urgent needs.
- For non-emergency situations or less urgent needs, please call your health care provider or for those without a family provider call the Whitehorse Walk-In Medical Clinic. If you are unsure, dial 811 for health advice from a Registered Nurse.
- You might also be assessed or cared for in spaces adapted for patient care.
- We’ve had to cancel some scheduled non-urgent surgeries in order to maintain patient safety.”
There are reports that some patients are being treated in hallways and offices.
“We’re working to ensure timely care for everyone by focusing efforts to safely transition from the hospital care to home or a more appropriate level of care,” the department says.
A hospital spokesperson told The Yukon Star today “there’s no single cause to the increase in patients.”
“Our Covid outbreak was declared over and there are no current Covid cases. There’s no single trend in the patient increase – we’ve been seeing these capacity surges as population expands and demographics shift,” she said.
“The morning of July 10, we did have approximately 19 admitted patients without a bed. We do temporarily use non-traditional spaces such as hallways and offices when this occurs.
“These spaces have been adapted as best as possible, so patients receive the necessary care and privacy.”
Dr. Alex Kmet, the president of the Yukon Medical Association, told The Yukon Star this afternoon the hospital was “completely overstuffed all week.”
Hospitals are subject to “surges of demand” that are totally unpredictable, he added, and there was no one thing driving the wave of admissions.
Kmet mentioned that Whitehorse is growing so fast that services are being completely overwhelmed.
“It’s population pressures and demographics,” he said.
He’s concerned about predictions that show the number of Yukoners 65 and older will double, perhaps in as few as 20 years.
“We need to have a plan, and it needs to happen soon.”
That could potentially mean the construction of a new hospital, or other options, such as renovating existing facilities, Kmet suggested.
The former Whitehorse General Hospital, which stood on the current campus from the late 1950s until the mid-1990s, had 90 beds. However, the current hospital, built in the ’90s, has about 55 beds.
