The Lake of the Woods District Hospital is another one in Northwestern Ontario feeling the strain of staffing shortages in its emergency department.
The hospital sent a notice about staffing challenges for this long weekend.
Acting president and CEO, Cheryl O’Flaherty said, “we continue to be critically short-staffed with high patient volumes.” The hospital wants the public to know to expect an increase in wait times.
“Staff are working hard to ensure that patient care is available in our community during the busiest weeks of the summer,” said O’Flaherty.
Efforts to recruit more staff are ongoing she said. “[We] anticipate that staffing will stabilize as staff return from vacation leave.”
The hospital said people with less urgent care needs to contact their primary care provider or call Health Connect Ontario, a provincial service offering care with a registered nurse by an online chat or telephone by calling 811.
