Published On: March 17, 2020
St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Plans for Capacity in Response to COVID-19
(St. Thomas, ON) – St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital is implementing changes to operations to maximize resources, prioritize services, and preserve hospital capacity as the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to grow in Ontario. The changes follow the Government of Ontario’s announcement that it is declaring a state of emergency in the province of Ontario to help contain the spread of COVID-19. Changes include:
- All elective surgeries postponed until further notice. STEGH is following the guidance of the Ministry of Health and the Ontario Hospital Association. Patients affected by this change will receive notification from their surgeon’s office. Urgent cases will be prioritized and are excluded from this directive.
- Ramping down non-urgent outpatient services in the hospital (i.e. Ambulatory Care, Diagnostic Imaging, Secondary Stroke Prevention Clinic, Diabetes, Mental Health). Essential services will continue, and where possible, health care providers will use virtual technology to consult with patients.
- Closure of the Continuing Care Centre and Integrated Stroke Units to all visitors to align with a recent Ministry directive for long-term care facilities in the province.
- Active screening with controlled access. All patients, visitors and staff are actively screened upon entry into the hospital. This involves asking a number of questions to ensure that everyone who enters the building is healthy. Traffic into the hospital has been limited to three entrances: East, North and South.