21/10/2024

St. Jude Hospital addresses surge in Emergency Department admissions

By St. Jude Hospital

St. Jude Hospital is experiencing an unprecedented surge in admissions to its Emergency Department (ED), resulting in significant pressures on staff and resources. To address this critical situation and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality patient care, the hospital has initiated the following actions:

• Increased Staffing: The onboarding of six additional nurses and three additional physicians is currently underway to bolster the existing team and enhance patient care capacity, a key component of the "Reduce Patient Waiting Time" strategy.
• Expanded Bed Capacity: The procurement of twenty additional beds is in progress to alleviate overcrowding and improve patient flow. These beds are expected to be operational within three weeks.
• Streamlined Patient Flow: The hospital is actively implementing the “Reduce Patient Waiting Time” strategy, which focuses on optimizing workflows, reducing bottlenecks, and ensuring prompt and appropriate attention to all patients. This includes a revised triage system, a new fast-track process for lower-acuity patients, and improved communication between departments.
• Improved Discharge Procedures: A comprehensive review and improvement of discharge procedures are underway to accelerate patient turnover and reduce wait times.

“We understand the challenges this surge in admissions presents to our patients and staff,” says Dr. Adelaide Moonie, Medical Director of St. Jude Hospital. “The implementation of the 'Reduce Patient Waiting Time' strategy is a crucial step in addressing these issues and ensuring we continue to provide the highest level of care. We are committed to working through this difficult period and appreciate the public's cooperation.”

Despite these significant efforts, the ongoing surge in ED admissions continues to present challenges. We are reaching out to the community to request cooperation in ensuring the most appropriate use of hospital resources and the Emergency Department. We would like to encourage the public to use the ED for emergencies only.

We urge the public to:

• Use the ED for emergencies only. It is intended for the treatment of serious illnesses and injuries requiring immediate medical attention. For non-urgent conditions, please consider seeking care from your primary care physician or a Community Wellness Centre.
• Consider alternative care options. For less urgent matters, you may consider visiting a walk-in clinic, your primary care provider or the hospital’s outpatient clinic.

St. Jude Hospital remains committed to providing safe and high-quality patient care. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of the public as we work to address this exceptional increase in ED demand.

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