Hours extended at COVID-19 clinic amid increased community spread
Stevenson Memorial Hospital has seen the impact of the latest wave, so to support the increased demand, the Alliston hospital partnered with community physicians to expand hours at its COVID-19, Cold and Flu Clinic.
"This is our assessment clinic where we actually have built that in addition to our testing centre," says SMH Director of HR, occupational health and volunteer services Jennifer Manicom.
Patients don't need to test positive to visit the clinic, which opened in Feburary.
"We've been able to support anyone with symptoms through the pandemic. Especially this most recent wave where anyone who is potentially looking for Paxlovid, those types of things or just looking to see a physician," says Manicom.
The clinic has helped ease the strain on the hospital's emergency room.
"We originally started at just two days a week but increased it because the need was there from the community," says Manicom.
The clinic is now open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, the hospital is also offering a virtual program for positive COVID-19 patients who aren't sick enough for the hospital but need monitoring, called COVID at Home.
"We're able to provide coaching during their recovery, so we mitigate the risk of them coming back and being admitted," says SMH Director of Ambulatory Care and Mental Health Kate Ostrovsky.
A team of nurses check in with patients every day for five to 10 days, depending on the situation.
"It has been developed with the partnership of the South Simcoe Ontario health team, and we have received the funding from Ontario health," says Ostrovsky.
COVID at Home is intended for follow-up care and has been running since January.
Ostrovsky says the program has been successful, with positive feedback from patients.
"Sometimes they're just not entirely sure what's next for them, so just providing that support, talking to them daily, checking in on their symptoms," says Ostrovsky.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for life of prime minister who was shot
The Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for the life of the country's prime minister, who was shot multiple times after a political event Wednesday afternoon.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, officials said.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION Your attention span is shrinking, studies say. Here's how to stay focused: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.