A surge in the number of patients at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) has the hospital urging people to consider alternative locations to seek care this weekend.
The hospital noted there is “a rise in acutely ill individuals” in the South Georgian Bay region.
“While our dedicated team works tirelessly to provide timely access to care, we want to ensure that our community is informed about potential impacts on services and alternative locations to seek care, as we head into the Family Day weekend,” CGMH stated in a news release.
The emergency department remains open, but there could be longer wait times due to patient volumes. CGMH’s wait time clock can be found here.
“A surge in very ill patients presenting to the hospital may also impact scheduled surgeries. Should a procedure need to be rescheduled, the hospital and surgeon’s offices will make every effort to notify patients as early as possible,” said Rosemary Frketich, vice-president, patient services, and chief nursing executive. “However, in some cases, notifications may not be sent before a patient’s scheduled appointment time. We understand this can be frustrating and appreciate your patience as we work to reschedule at the earliest opportunity.”
Those with minor illnesses or injuries might be able to access the emergency department through the hospital’s fast-track booking system. More information on that can be found here.
The Collingwood After Hours Clinic, a walk-in clinic for South Georgian Bay residents who need medical advice but cannot reach their family doctors or nurse practitioners, is open Monday to Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and on weekends from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. More information is available here.
The Wasaga Beach After Hours Clinic is a walk-in clinic open to residents in the South Georgian Bay area (Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Clearview Township and The Blue Mountains). It is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Registration starts at 4:30. It is closed on statutory holidays. More information can be found here.
Additional local healthcare resources can be found at southgeorgianbayoht.ca/community-wellness.