Windsor Regional Hospital Metropolitan Campus, February 1, 2018. Blackburn News file photo.Windsor Regional Hospital Metropolitan Campus, February 1, 2018. Blackburn News file photo.
Windsor

Hospitals planning a gradual, careful service restoration

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench in the ability of hospitals to offer some services. But now hospitals are working to bring them back.

The Ontario government recently allowed hospitals to reboot clinics and programs, as well as reschedule elective and non-urgent surgeries put on hold by the pandemic.

It will not happen all at once. The hospitals in the Erie-St. Clair West area, including Windsor Regional Hospital, Erie Shores Healthcare, the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA), and Bluewater Health, are looking for a careful, slow approach to getting those procedures back up and running.

"We are all looking forward to restoring services that have been on hiatus for several weeks while we worked to protect the public from the risks of transmitting COVID-19," read a media release posted on the official WRH website. "Please be patient while we take the steps necessary to allow a safe, slow and incremental approach to gradually bringing services back online."

Monday will be the earliest day any programs will be reinstated, according to the release.

Any patients who have had elective procedures postponed will be notified of opportunities to reschedule. While it is understood that patients and their family members may be anxious about when surgeries will resume, patients are asked not to call the hospital to inquire about rescheduling. Those who are waiting for surgeries will hear directly from their physician's or surgeon's office.

Hospitals have been asked by the Ontario Ministry of Health to put together a framework for resuming services, while at the same time prioritizing patient care. This way, hospitals will be prepared for any sudden, unexpected surge in COVID-19 cases.

In the meantime, current COVID-19 policies and procedures in regards to visiting and testing remain in place until further notice.

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