It's a busy week at Sudbury's hospital, Health Sciences North.
So much so that hospital officials are discouraging people with non-urgent medical needs from coming to the hospital’s emergency department.
For the past two weeks, the beds, rooms, and even hallways of HSN have been filled.
The hospital started the day on Wednesday at 116% capacity, with 88 alternate level of care patients in the system.
Mark Hartman is the vice president of Health Sciences North.
"So, when we have that number of patients in our beds, that accounts for almost a quarter of in-patient beds at Health Sciences North and it means we can't provide the care for the patients who are more acutely and critically ill." said Hartman.
For non-critical treatments, many patients are being sent to other nearby hospitals.
However, many of those patients who are getting treatment at Health Sciences North are being squeezed in wherever they can fit.
"It's also meant that because of that volume of activity and the volume of admitted patients, that we've needed to put patients into unconventional spaces throughout the hospital. So, that's all in-patient units in areas that really weren't designed for patient care. So, areas like patient lounges, and that's been upwards of 40 patients as well." Said Hartman
The emergency department has seen an average of 30-40 admitted patients every morning, while it's only designed for a maximum of 36 patients.
"For less urgent care, it may mean longer than normal waits in the emergency department. So, we would encourage people who don't need urgent care to choose other alternatives like walk-in clinics, their family physicians, nurse practitioner clinics, or Telehealth Ontario to get the care that they need.” said Hartman.
The hospital is seeking long-term solutions, and has submitted a long-term capital master plan to the Ministry of Health.
However, in the short term, administrators say they are seeking an additional 37 conventional bed spaces.
