Temporary unit at Civic hospital to help avoid 'level zero'

A temporary 40-bed unit attached to the emergency department of The Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus is expected to help alleviate the strain on the city's paramedics,who are routinelystuck for hours transferring patientsto hospital staff.

That keeps them from answeringother emergencies, and at times there isn't a single available ambulance to respond to a 911 call. The situation is known as "level zero," and paramedics, politicians and patients' families have warned it could become deadly.

"This unit will allow us to create capacity within the hospital, and ensure patients receive the care they need," The Ottawa Hospital wrote in a news release Monday.

It will also lead to patients spending less time in the ER before being admitted, the hospital said.

Hospital officials have released few details about what the new unit will look like, but it will be in the east parking lot, bordering Carling and Melrose avenues.

50,000 hours spent transferring patients

Earlier this month, Ottawa city councillors expressed their frustrationoverthe amount of time paramedics spend tied up offloading patients.

Last yearalone, the city hit level zero more than 500 times and paramedics spent 50,000 hours waiting to transfer patients to hospital staff.

The Ottawa, Queensway Carleton and Montfort hospitals have all asked theprovince tofundnurses who can help care for patientswhen emergency beds aren't immediately available.

It's not clear whether the temporary unit at the Civic campus is a result of that funding, nor is its cost.

The hospital said the new unit is set to be completed by the end of the year.