Hospitals are grappling with busy emergency rooms, high demand for beds, and staffing shortages due to the Omicron wave of COVID-19.
Public Health says these pressures are causing delays in care and have resulted in many surgeries and medical procedures being postponed across Nova Scotia.
It’s also forcing a further reduction in services.
Nova Scotia Health says only urgent and emergent surgeries, including time-sensitive cancer surgeries, are continuing at this time. Ambulatory care clinics and procedures will focus on urgent needs only.
Diagnostic imaging and laboratory services are continuing as usual.
It’s estimated roughly 600 staff and physicians are currently off work due to COVID-19 infections or self-isolation requirements for close contacts.
“At many hospitals, inpatient units are operating with reduced staffing levels and the demand for beds is exceeding the number of staffed beds available, with approximately 355 hospital beds in the province occupied by patients who are awaiting placement in a long term care facility or housing through the Department of Community Services,” Nova Scotia Health says in a news release.
Public Health explains the situation is having a significant impact on wait times, patient flow, and surgical care.
About 120 scheduled surgeries and 30 endoscopy or gastroenterology procedures were postponed last week. Outpatient rehabilitation services were also temporarily reduced in the Halifax area.
Inpatient beds have been closed at many hospitals due to staff availability. ERs have opened overflow beds to manage high volumes of admitted patients.
Health officials warn patients will continue to experience long wait times for emergency care over the coming weeks due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
But they say you should not hesitate to head to the nearest ER if you do have an emergency. They also recommend going to see your family doctor or visiting a walk-in clinic for non-urgent care.
You can call 811 for general health advice and speak with a registered nurse.
Public Health also stresses kindness during this time, saying some staff have been greeted with hurtful behaviour in recent weeks.
“We are aware of too many situations where our staff have been subjected to abusive behaviour and language, including personal threats,” Nova Scotia Health says. “This is not acceptable and is adding to our staffing recruitment and retention challenges. Please be kind and know that we are here to help.”
Patients whose procedures or appointments are delayed will be contacted directly.
