The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Meno Ya Win Health Centre in Sioux Lookout says they are currently providing more, not less, hallway health care.
During recent pre-budget consultations, Heather Lee stressed they are currently facing a serious health care crisis.
Lee says the hospital is consistently full or overcapacity, forcing admitted patients to wait in the emergency department for days until an in-patient bed or overflow bed opens up.
“Acute in-patient has increased by 73.5% over eight years and emergency visits are trending up 70% over the past ten years. Compounding this issue is the lack of and at times no home care services.”
She notes they have opened ten additional spaces in hallways and lounges and added hallway stretchers in their emergency department without financial support.
Lee says mental health and addictions is a major reason behind an overcrowded and stressed system.
She says the “remote communities served through Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win have the highest suicide attempt and completion rates in Canada. Psychiatric admissions have increased by over 150% over the past eight years.”
Lee adds emergency department admission rates for mental health in Sioux Lookout have risen 73% in the past five years.
She notes they are noticing a major spike in violent and aggressive behaviour towards staff and physicians as a result.
Lee says there is an urgent need today for the province to remedy the lack of financial material and human resources in the hospital emergency department.
She stresses staff, physicians and the organization feel unsupported and vulnerable.
To hear more from Heather Lee, visit the Audio link below.
