Limit visits to Edmundston ER, Vitalit asks, amid high volumes

Vitalit Health Network is asking people to limit visits to the Edmundston Regional Hospital'semergency department, due to a highvolume of patients in the ER, and a high overall bed occupancy rate.

The advisory, issued Tuesday, remains in effect until Sunday,Vitalitsaid in a news release.

"Our health-care professionals are giving their best to provide safe, quality care, and patients with the most critical needs are prioritized,"said Dr. Natalie Banville, Vitalit'ssenior vice-president of clinical programs and medical affairs.

Multiple factors are contributing to occupancy rates and wait times, according to Banville.

"Due to lack of access to primary care, nearly six in [10] patients visit our emergency departments for non-emergency care," she said in an emailed statement.

This is a complex and systemic issue, and our teams are working hard to find and implement new solutions.- Natalie Banville, senior vice-president of clinical programs and medical affairs

Staff shortages and the aging population also"create challenges on many levels," Banville said.

Across Vitalit, three out of every 10 beds are occupied by patients waiting for home care or a place in a long-term care facility.

The emergency department remains open for people who need urgent or critical care, saidVitalit.

But other peopleare urged to see their family doctor or nurse practitioner, consult their community pharmacist or to contact Tele-Care (811) or eVisitNB.

People who do goto the ER for non-urgent reasons "should be patient and expect much longer than usual wait times," the regional health authorityadvised.

"This is a complex and systemic issue, and our teams are working hard to find and implement new solutions," said Banville.

This includesworking to improve the flow of admissions and discharges, to reduce overflow and wait times in the emergency department, and to make it easier to manage admissions to a nursing unit, she said.

In addition, Vitalit iscollaborating with its partners, including Ambulance NB, the Department of Health and the Department Social Development, Banville said.

The Edmundston Regional Hospitalhas a bed occupancy rate of 98 per cent, as of Jan. 7, according to a COVID-19 update issued byVitalitTuesday.

There are seven COVIDpatients at the hospital, including two in intensive care.