Hospitals welcome new policy that could free up bed capacity
As capacity pressures increase, hospitals welcome a new policy that provides more options to move patients into long-term care homes, even if their preferred spots haven't opened up.
"It's not going to solve the problems at all, but it's one thing we can be doing to help us gain back some amount of capacity," said Arden Krystal, CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre.
Southlake is one of the most congested hospitals in the province.
Its CEO said around 25 seniors requiring an alternate level of care (ALC) are currently on a waitlist for a long-term care home, with the majority already waiting up to a year or longer.
"When you consider the number of days those people wait, it's significantly more than the other ALC patients," said Krystal.
According to the Ontario Hospital Association, more than 6,000 ALC patients are in the province, with 40 per cent currently on a waitlist.
The regulations, which came into effect Wednesday, would see seniors discharged and sent as far away as 70 kilometres in southern Ontario and up to 150 in the north or face a bill of $400 daily for those who refuse.
RELATED
- Surge in emergency patients leaves Georgian Bay General Hospital scrambling
- Ground-breaking technology in Orillia hospital aims to speed up patient care
Although if they move, the province said seniors would still keep their spot on the waitlist of their preferred choice.
It's a move the government said could free up to 400 hospital beds.
"We have a specific obligation to those who are acutely ill, and those waiting in our hospital are also by in large elderly," said Krystal. "In a perfect world, we would want everybody to swiftly move to the type of service that is right for them. Unfortunately, we are in a constraint system and have been for some time."
At the same time, critics say the policy violates seniors' rights, pushing them further into isolation as long-term care homes face growing pressures.
"We saw what it meant not to have family caregivers help, and we also know that people deteriorate physically and mentally, and this is actually going to cause deaths," said Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of CanAge.
Krystal said when it comes to moving seniors into long-term care homes, the hospital prioritizes placing someone close to friends and family or other supports in their community as possible.
"Southlake is gathering a working group of internal and external partners-in-care as well as patients and family advisors to help inform our local approach," Southlake noted in a post on social media.
In a statement, Barrie's Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) said it's rare for patients to refuse a long-term care bed when offered to them. The statement noted the hospital would use a collaborative, compassionate and coordinated approach as Ontario implements Bill 7.
"When a third of RVH's beds are occupied by patients who do not need to be in the hospital, it creates gridlock throughout the health centre. When there are no beds available, sick admitted patients lie on stretchers in the Emergency Department and wait times in the ED grow longer for patients to be seen and treated. It can mean that surgeries can't be performed because there are no beds for patients to recover. This initiative is meant to free up beds for patients requiring surgery and allows for Emergency room patients to be admitted sooner," said Gail Hunt, RVH President and CEO.
Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital (OSMH) stated, "Like many hospitals, OSMH has struggled to meet care demands over the past several months, and legislation such as Bill 7 is important to ease the strain on the system." It also said it would work closely with patients, caregivers and health system partners to ensure a collaborative and compassionate approach.
Charges for turning down spots in long-term care will come on Nov. 20.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.