Ontario's top doctor issues directive on patient transfers amid record hospitalizations
Soaring COVID-19 hospitalizations have prompted Ontario's top doctor to issue a directive to support overwhelmed hospitals, integrating the transfer of patients across the province's health system.
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, issued Directive 2.1 Friday to provide hospitals guidance on moving patients from one facility to another.
According to the directive, hospitals should "transfer or support the transfer of patients, as appropriate, to other hospitals which have the capacity to provide treatment to patients, in order to maximize the capacity of the hospital system to provide and maintain care to the greatest number of patients as possible."
"Hospital Care Providers shall participate in any system coordination and reporting processes that may be established by Ontario Health for the purpose of optimizing of Ontario's hospital system to provide quality services to the greatest number of patients as possible," the directive read.
Ontario hospitals have been relying on patient transfer throughout the pandemic as a way to relieve the pressures brought on by COVID-19.
During the third wave, provincial officials issued emergency orders that gave hospitals the authority to transfer patients to another hospital without their consent. It was revoked in June 2021.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that under the directive, patient consent is required before a transfer.
The directive supplements the order issued earlier this month that suspended all non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures in hospitals and clinics in order to free up thousands of beds.
As of Friday, there are 3,814 people with COVID-19 in Ontario hospitals. Of those, 527 adults are in intensive care
Dr. Martin Betts, the chief of critical care at Scarborough Health Network, said the Omicron wave is evolving differently than the past pandemic waves. He noted that in Scarborough, they are seeing the highest number of COVID-19 patients ever.
"We're seeing about one in 10 hospitalized patients come to the ICU. During the delta wave, that was maybe one in three, and during prior waves, one in four, one in five," Betts said. "So, the pressure in the ICU is certainly great. But in our hospital wards, it's even greater. Hospitals are really going to unprecedented steps to accommodate patients both in terms of funding the space to do so. But also funding the staff as we've heard about so much."
Betts said they are planning to open a satellite facility in the coming days to accommodate the volume of patients.
Dr. Fahad Razak, an internist at St. Michael's Hospital and a member of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, said he has never seen health-care resources this depleted as doctors, nurses and other health professionals are getting infected with the virus.
"I did not see that occur at any other phase of the pandemic. So, this is really a very unusual time. And that makes it doubly difficult as you see these surges," Razak said.
Moore said Thursday that hospital admissions in the province could peak by next week. However, one Toronto doctor said the province is still far away from it.
"We are seeing more COVID patients every day," UHN infectious diseases specialist Dr. Abdu Sharkawy said Friday morning. "We're talking about opening more COVID units in our hospital and I hear the same thing from other hospitals in the GTA."
With files from CP24's Chris Herhalt
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.