Overcrowding forces 2 N.B. hospitals to reduce admissions for a week

Overcrowding at two New Brunswick hospitals has forcedVitalit Health Network to reduce admissions to both placesfor one week.

The health network is taking measures to reduce overcrowding at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre and Stella-Maris-de-Kent Hospital inSainte-Anne-de-Kent, a settlement about 60 kilometres north of Moncton.

"Admissions will be strictly limited to cases absolutely requiring hospitalization and urgent surgeries only will be performed," Vitalit said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Thomas Lizotte, a spokesperson for Vitalit, said the overcrowding has been caused by a number of factors, including COVID-19 preventive measures,high occupancy rates, and thenational shortage of doctors and nurses.

"This situation is also the result of many long-term care patients waiting for a place in a nursing home," he said.

Currenthospitalized cases will be reviewed to determine whether certain patients can safely return home or be transferred elsewhere.

Re-evaluation in one week's time

Vitalit said the situation will be re-evaluated next weekto determine whether the measures need to be extended.

Sharon Smyth-Okana, vice-president of clinical services, said the strict admission measures are necessary to reduce patient overflow that bothhospitals areexperiencing.

"All our teams on the ground have been mobilized to find solutions to the current challenges and ensure that our patients
receive safe and high-quality care," she said in a statement.

"We are also concerned about ensuring that our employees have a safe and healthy work environment."