Ontario is rolling back some emergency hospital measures in light of improving pandemic trends.
Ontario Health says hospitals can resume surgeries requiring in-patient and critical care resources if they have a plan to deal with COVID-19 surges and potential transfers.
With the easing of capacity issues in the ICU at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, the priority now is to begin tackling the ‘significant backlog’ of surgeries put on hold as a result of the pandemic. Hospital president and CEO Robert Biron says at this point there are more than 1,700 individuals awaiting word on surgical procedures.
Biron says the hope is to begin tackling the backlog early this month.
Biron has an important message for those awaiting a surgical procedure – do not call the hospital.
The province is also revoking orders allowing patients to be transferred to long-term care without consent, and is allowing home care and other workers to be redeployed to the homes.
Patients can still be transferred between hospitals without their consent due to high COVID-19 intensive care admissions.
