Ontario hospital looks to donors for help as province asks for pediatric capacity increase
An Ontario hospital says it is looking to donors for help as the government asks them to boost their pediatric capacity to 150 per cent but stops short of offering provincial funding for the expansion.
“I think most people don't realize that it’s through donors that most equipment is acquired, not just at Humber but at all hospitals,” Sandra Sualim, president and chief executive officer of Toronto’s Humber River Hospital Foundation, said.
In an email sent to donors last week, Humber asked their community for help in order to boost their capacity. “Each of these new [pediatric] rooms will require a monitor, vital sign machine and more equipment funded by our donors.”
In order to address the urgent pressure on the hospital’s pediatric unit, Sualim said they need to raise $150,000 in less than 30 days.
“It’s urgent because we’re in the throes of it, this is happening as we speak,” she said.
Ontario’s Ministry of Health is asking hospitals to “expand pediatric capacity to 150 per cent occupancy” and instructing emergency departments to “plan for an extreme surge, including equipment and supplies.”
These mitigation efforts were detailed in a memo obtained by CTV News Toronto sent to provincial hospitals earlier this month in an effort to manage the current influx of pediatric patients with respiratory viruses.
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said that the province increased pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) capacity by 30 per cent earlier this month. The province’s most recent data shows 18 pediatric beds were added to the provincial count last week – marking the first increase in a month.
Days before this addition, hospitals were operating above capacity on and off for weeks with at most a handful of spare pediatric beds across the province on lighter days.
At Humber, Sualim said there is space to transition adult hospital rooms into pediatric ones, but they need equipment designed for kids in order to do so.
The Ministry of Health told CTV News Toronto that they continue to work closely with hospitals to “alleviate pressures faced during influenza and respiratory virus season by providing funding.”
“This includes working with hospitals to identify sites where additional pediatric ICU beds can be funded and operationalized immediately,” the ministry’s media relations coordinator said.
However, Joe Gorman, Humber’s director of communications, said at the present time, the government has not offered additional funding for the expansion of their pediatric capacity.
Humber’s regular pediatric bandwidth is 12 beds, according to Sualim. “The government has asked us to get ready for 150 per cent capacity which means we are getting ready to expand anywhere from 15 to 18 beds.”
“Hospitals are still very much overextended,” she said. “Unfortunately it’s affecting our younger population.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.