COVID-19 Continues to Impact Available Staff at Hospital
July 05, 2022
Smiths Falls, ON – In spite of our best effort to reopen the Perth Emergency Department later this week, we learned that additional Emergency Department staff have contracted COVID-19 in the community. As a result, we will be unable to reopen our Perth Emergency Department as planned this week.
The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital (PSFDH) is committed to restoring full Emergency Services as soon as possible. Our team is constantly monitoring our staffing levels and we are expecting to be able to announce a reopening date early next week.
PSFDH must adhere to and respect all Public Health mandates regarding COVID-19 safety and return to work guidelines. Staff and physicians who have become ill with COVID-19 must remain off work until they have been cleared by Public Health and PSFDH Occupational Health.
Residents in our catchment area can continue to access emergency care at the Smiths Falls Site located at 60 Cornelia Street West, Smiths Falls or the closest alternate emergency department.
The Smiths Falls Site Emergency Department continues to be open 24 hrs/day, seven (7) days per week as the reduction to Emergency Department hours impacts only the Perth Emergency Department.
We continue to update and inform our regional partners such as ambulance services, partner hospitals and public health regarding the upcoming closures.
The PSFDH team appreciates your understanding and patience and as our staffing complement stabilizes, we will communicate any changes. Updates will be shared via our hospital Facebook page and through local media channels.
Anyone requiring immediate medical help should call 911 and paramedics will get you to the nearest emergency department for care.
Quotes:
Gardner Church, Chair, Board of Directors
“The PSFDH Board of Directors is apprised of the situation and fully supportive of the actions Management is taking to navigate through this industry-wide staffing crisis. The Board appreciates the swift and decisive action of the PSFDH team to preserve services in our region.”
Michael Cohen, President & CEO
“Unfortunately, with latest blow from the COVID-19 pandemic, we do not have the staff needed to re-open and sustain operations in our Perth Emergency Department. Every effort is being made to re-establish services at our Perth Emergency Department as soon as possible.”
Nancy Shaw, Vice President, Clinical Services/Chief Nursing Executive
“Our effort to ensure a planned and thoughtful approach to reopening of the Perth Emergency Department continues and we are truly grateful of the community support that we have received. The PSFDH family appreciates the kind words, support and understanding.”
About PSFDH:
The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital (the “Hospital”) is a fully accredited acute care health care organization located on two state-of-the-art sites. The hospital is situated in the heart of the Rideau Canal region and proudly provides health services to more than 60,000 people in the surrounding communities. The hospital delivers a broad range of primary and secondary services and programs such as emergency care, diagnostic imaging, obstetrics, general and specialty surgical services, dialysis as well as laboratory and infection control services.
For more information contact:
Karen Kelly
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital
613-283-2330 ext:1129
www.psfdh.on.ca