Regional hospitals battle staffing crisis as ER wait times increase

Hospital officials across Simcoe Muskoka are calling for increased support amidst mounting staffing shortages and rising patient demand.

"We are in a provincial and national crisis with staffing," said Julia Sek, Stevenson Memorial Hospital's chief nursing executive.

Peak emergency room wait times average four to six hours at local hospitals, depending on the day and staffing levels.

"We're seeing sicker, more complex patients, so our wait times are increasing somewhat to three and four hours," Sek noted of the Alliston hospital.

In Barrie, wait times at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) averages six hours, as officials direct patients to clinics to free up the emergency department.

RVH operations director Sharon Ramagnano said patients with minor symptoms, such as earaches and sore throats, should head to the hospital's Sperling Drive Cold and Flu Clinic.

"You will see a physician or a nurse practitioner - you'll see them efficiently and quickly without having to sit in a waiting room for six hours," she added.

The clinic aims to relieve roughly a quarter of the emergency department's patient load.

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And it's not just hospital staff feeling the pressure. Paramedics are being pushed to the limit.

"Our folks are tired. They're working very hard through this to provide service. They're keeping their spirits up. They're being professional," said Kevin Morrish, County of Simcoe paramedic services commander of operations.

Morrish said paramedics acknowledge hospital staff are doing what they can to triage patients and determine who needs urgent care, and noted paramedics are often tied up with patients waiting for care in the emergency department.

"When you have paramedics doing a call, and they bring the patient into the hospital, they have to stay with that patient under the transfer of accountability that goes to the hospital, so they are still on that call," he added.

Non-urgent patients are encouraged to consider walk-in clinics, virtual and phone appointments, or cold and flu clinics.

"We need to be patient and kind with one another. Our staff have worked overtime, double time so that we don't close, so a lot of them are tired, and they're missing time with their families to take care of their community," Sek concluded.