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Tag: hospitals

Topic: SaskatchewanView all posts for the topic: Saskatchewan

‘Every bed is full’: Saskatoon doctors at a loss in the face of jam-packed ERs

Published January 8, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Keenan Sorokan

Emergency room physicians in Saskatoon are becoming all too used to repeated apologies to patients for a system they say isn’t functioning as intended.

Dr. James Stempien says every shift presents a new set of challenges that rarely existed five to 10 years ago.

Rather than showing up to an emergency room, seeing a doctor and then being admitted to an appropriate ward of the hospital, more and more patients are being admitted and treated in the emergency room, linen rooms or hallways because there is nowhere else for them to go.

Continue reading‘Every bed is full’: Saskatoon doctors at a loss in the face of jam-packed ERs
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Topic: European UnionView all posts for the topic: European Union

Spain considers nationwide hospital mask rule, as flu, COVID hit Europe

Published January 8, 2024

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Published by: Reuters
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Spain’s government proposed a nationwide mandate for people to wear masks in hospitals and health clinics on Monday, and Italy said respiratory illness infection rates had hit a record, as flu and COVID spread across Europe.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommended that people on the continent stay home if they feel sick, and consider wearing masks in crowds or healthcare settings, with flu spreading as it typically does this time of year but hitting some countries harder than others.

Continue readingSpain considers nationwide hospital mask rule, as flu, COVID hit Europe
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Topic: New YorkView all posts for the topic: New York

New York City public hospitals bring back mask mandates in certain areas

Published January 3, 2024

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Published by: ABC News
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By Mary Kekatos

Indoor mask requirements have been reinstated at all New York City public hospitals amid a rise in respiratory viruses including COVID-19 and flu.

The mandate extends to the 11 hospitals, 30 health centers and five long-term care facilities run by NYC Health + Hospitals.

The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, said Wednesday masks will only be required in areas where patients are being treated, according to local ABC News affiliate ABC 7 NY.

Continue readingNew York City public hospitals bring back mask mandates in certain areas
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Topic: United StatesView all posts for the topic: United States

Why hospitals in several states are reinstating mask requirements

Published January 1, 2024

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Published by: ABC News
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By Mary Kekatos

Some hospitals across the United States are reinstating indoor masking rules amid rising cases and hospitalizations of respiratory illnesses including COVID-19 and influenza.

Hospitals in at least six states — California, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin — have put masking guidelines in place, according to an ABC News count.

Over the weekend, Mass General Brigham, which is the largest health system in Massachusetts, told ABC News it issued guidelines requiring employee caregivers and those working in patient care areas to wear masks.

Continue readingWhy hospitals in several states are reinstating mask requirements
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Topic: QuebecView all posts for the topic: Quebec

Pas de répit dans les urgences du Québec

Published December 30, 2023

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Published by: Radio-Canada
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Hospital emergency rooms in Quebec are overflowing again, after a calmer period at Christmas. The resurgence of respiratory viruses is sending many Quebecers to emergency rooms.

In healthcare facilities in the Montreal area, average occupancy was over 100% on Saturday night. Other regions were also particularly affected, such as Laval and Laurentides, where occupancy rates were close to 140%, according to Index Santé.

Continue readingPas de répit dans les urgences du Québec
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Topic: MassachusettsView all posts for the topic: Massachusetts

Masking returns at many Massachusetts hospitals — and not just because of COVID

Published December 28, 2023

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Published by: GBH
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By Liz Neisloss

With both COVID-19 and other respiratory virus rates up, nearly all the major hospital groups in Massachusetts are bringing back mask requirements for doctors and staff, and in some cases for patients and visitors as well.

Beth Israel Lahey, Boston Medical Center and Dana Farber have already reimposed requirements. Mass General Brigham and UMass Memorial plan to require masking starting Jan. 2, followed by Tufts Medicine on Jan. 3.

Continue readingMasking returns at many Massachusetts hospitals — and not just because of COVID
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Topic: QuebecView all posts for the topic: Quebec

Débordements dans des salles d’urgence d’une majorité de régions du Québec

Published December 27, 2023

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Published by: Le Devoir / The Canadian Press
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By Jean-Philippe Denoncourt

The fall in occupancy rates in Quebec’s emergency rooms that began on 19 December ended on Tuesday.

The Index Santé website noted that this average rate had risen to 95% on 26 December, before jumping to 112% on Wednesday morning, shortly before 6 a.m., which was considered very high.

Continue readingDébordements dans des salles d’urgence d’une majorité de régions du Québec
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Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

Almonte General Hospital temporarily closing ER Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning

Published December 23, 2023

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Published by: CTV News
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By Ted Raymond

The emergency department at the Almonte General Hospital in Almonte, Ont. will be temporarily closed Saturday.

The Mississippi River Health Alliance (MRHA) said in a news release Saturday that the closure would be in effect from 3 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday. The rest of the hospital will remain open and care for patients continues.

The emergency department will be closed because of a staffing shortage, the hospital says.

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Topic: Nova ScotiaView all posts for the topic: Nova Scotia

‘Extreme shortages’ expected at N.S. emergency departments over the holidays: union

Published December 22, 2023

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Published by: Global News
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By Alex Cooke

The largest union in Nova Scotia says “extreme shortages” are expected in emergency departments during the holidays as many health-care workers are off work and there aren’t enough staff to cover absences.

Sandra Mullen, president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, said the issue is especially pronounced at the Halifax Infirmary, one of the busiest hospitals in the province.

Continue reading‘Extreme shortages’ expected at N.S. emergency departments over the holidays: union
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Topic: MassachusettsView all posts for the topic: Massachusetts

Some hospitals resume mask requirements as respiratory infections rise

Published December 22, 2023

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Published by: The Boston Globe
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By Adam Piore

With COVID-19 cases and other respiratory illnesses rising across the region, some area hospitals have begun to bring back face mask requirements to halt the spread of infections.

Boston Medical Center said Thursday it would resume masking requirements in all patient-care areas beginning Friday. On Monday, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reinstated its mask requirements in all clinical and public spaces, and the Beth Israel Lahey Health system (BILH) updated its policies to require masking for all health care personnel upon entry to a patient room or bed space.

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Topic: Hamilton RegionView all posts for the topic: Hamilton Region

HHS closes urgent care for two days amid staff shortages, congestion at hospitals

Published December 21, 2023

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Published by: The Hamilton Spectator
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By Joanna Frketich

Staffing shortages will close a Hamilton urgent care centre for two days at the same time city emergency departments are becoming increasingly congested with flu, COVID-19 and RSV patients.

With just 13 per cent of Hamiltonians getting a COVID shot in the past six months, local hospitals are bracing for the viral surge to continue climbing over the holidays.

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Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

RVH implements universal masking amid rising respiratory illness rates

Published December 20, 2023

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Published by: CTV News
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By Kim Phillips

Simcoe County’s largest health centre is taking action to protect patients, visitors and its staff from the increasing rates of respiratory illnesses in the region by returning to universal masking.

On Wednesday, officials with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie announced that visitors would be required to wear a hospital-issued mask upon entry, effective immediately.

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Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

COVID-19 kills 2 more in N.B., hospitalizations and nursing home outbreaks jump

Published December 19, 2023

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Published by: CBC News
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By Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

New Brunswick reported two more deaths from COVID-19, a week-over-week jump in hospitalizations and nursing home outbreaks because of the virus, and an increase in flu cases and hospitalizations Tuesday.

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Topic: QuebecView all posts for the topic: Quebec

One million Quebecers infected with respiratory viruses

Published December 19, 2023

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Published by: Montreal Gazette
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By Aaron Derfel

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé and his chief public health officer warned Tuesday that the province is facing a major COVID-19 resurgence, coupled with a spike in influenza cases.

“We have a lot of vulnerable people that (are being hospitalized) because of influenza and because of COVID, and they should have been vaccinated,” Dubé said at a news conference.

“I think that the situation over the next few weeks will deteriorate. Let’s be clear about that.”

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Topic: QuebecView all posts for the topic: Quebec

Dubé demande l’aide des Québécois et annonce des mesures pour les urgences

Published December 19, 2023

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Published by: Le Devoir
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By Marie-Eve Cousineau

To reduce pressure on overflowing emergencies, the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, asks people with non-emergency problems to practice self-care, contact their family doctor, family medicine group (GMF) or the 811 phone line instead of going to the hospital. He noted that 28 winter clinics are open and that agreements have recently been reached with residential settings to accommodate seniors trapped in hospital due to the lack of CHSLD spaces.

Emergency rooms are facing a “perfect storm”, says Christian Dubé: a cocktail of seasonal viruses, staff holidays (“earned”), a labour shortage (bigger than last year) and a lack of hospital beds with the aging population as a backdrop.

Continue readingDubé demande l’aide des Québécois et annonce des mesures pour les urgences
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Topic: United StatesView all posts for the topic: United States

COVID and flu surge could strain hospitals as JN.1 variant grows, CDC warns

Published December 15, 2023

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Published by: CBS News
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By Alexander TIn

Hospitals and emergency rooms could be forced to ration care by the end of this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday, saying recent trends in COVID-19 and influenza are now on track to again strain America’s health care system. The new COVID variant JN.1 is making up an increasing share of cases, the CDC’s tracking shows.

“COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising quickly,” the agency said in its weekly update. “Since the summer, public health officials have been tracking a rise in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which is caused by COVID-19. Influenza activity is growing in most parts of the country. RSV activity remains high in many areas.”

Continue readingCOVID and flu surge could strain hospitals as JN.1 variant grows, CDC warns
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Topic: AlbertaView all posts for the topic: Alberta

Hospital surge beds added as pressure grows in Alberta’s intensive care units

Published December 14, 2023

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Published by: CBC News
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By Jennifer Lee

Alberta hospitals are squeezing in extra intensive care unit beds as respiratory virus cases balloon and ICUs fill up.

Alberta Health Services has added 17 adult surge beds since last week — 12 in Edmonton and 5 in Calgary— bringing the total to 240.

Continue readingHospital surge beds added as pressure grows in Alberta’s intensive care units
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