Rolling ER closures adding pressure to Hanover hospital
It’s another busy day at the Hanover emergency room, where patient numbers and serious illness is on the rise.
“Before the pandemic we were seeing about 15,500 patients per year. We are now on track to see nearly 20,000 patients. And those patients are coming with more complex medical issues,” said Hanover and District Hospital President and CEO, Dana Howes.
On the ground, that’s an increase from 25 ER patients a day visiting Hanover’s emergency department a decade ago, now to 50 patients a day.
“We are seeing really high volumes. 50 ER patients a day would be a treat, honestly, most days. Before, that used to be a really, really, busy day in the ER,” said Dr. Nick Abell, a Hanover family and emergency room physician.
The rolling emergency department closures at neighbouring hospitals in Walkerton, Chesley and Durham over the past two years is largely to blame for the 20 per cent increase in ER visits to Hanover in the past year, and a 35 per cent increase from 2019.
Illness seriousness or acuity is also on the rise, up 20 per cent in the past year, and 40 per cent pre-pandemic, according to Hanover hospital officials.
Hanover and District Hospital as seen on Jan. 23, 2022. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
“It’s not just quick coughs and colds, it’s abdominal pain and chest pain. More complexity than before,” said Dr. Tim Heerema, Hanover family and emergency department physician.
One-time provincial funding that started in August — but runs out in March — to hire a nurse practitioner to handle less serious ER visits has helped Hanover cope.
“It’s enabled us to create somewhat of a fast track system. So it prevents bottle necking, helps with wait times, and supports our physicians,” said Howes.
“The nurse practitioner is more than capable, and has been very well received in dealing with those less acute patients, and taking a large burden off of us,” added Heerema.
With a growing and aging population, and one of a only a handful of Grey-Bruce hospitals that hasn’t been forced to close due to nursing shortages, Hanover is bracing for the record breaking ER volumes to continue, well into the future.
“I don’t think this can be called a surge anymore. It’s more like, this is the way it is. Fact is we are a busy ER, that continues to get busier,” said Howes.
“Hopefully the system will start to heal itself, and we get this going again, but we are very worried,” added Abell, who was just nearing the end of 24 hour shift, with many more all-nighters in his future to keep Hanover’s emergency department open and available to patients from across Grey and Bruce counties.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.