As virus rates spike, patient volumes may get worse before they get better, warns WRHA

Aspike in the number of patients visiting Winnipeg emergency rooms and urgent care centres since Boxing Day may getworse before it gets better, warns the new chief executive officer of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

CEO Vickie Kaminskiissued the warning on Tuesday, sayingoccurrences of three different viruses all began peaking in Winnipegat the same time, putting a strain on resources at cityhospitals.

"All three have come at us at the same time,"Kaminski said."It's highly unusual for us."

The health authority proactively prepares for patient spikes every winter, shesaid, but it couldn't have predicted rates of influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus would surge simultaneously. Each virus usually starts and peaks at a different time, she said.

Since Boxing Day, average daily patient volumes at ERs and urgent care centres in Winnipeg have increased significantly over the same period last year, Kaminski said.Hospitals are currently seeingaround 1,000 patients daily, she said an average increase of about 120 per day from the post-Boxing Day period last year.

"We have an increase more than anybody anticipated or could anticipate even with a high volume of flu season, so that's really what we're dealing with at the moment."

Surgeries may be cancelled

The overcapacity issue may cause some elective surgeries to be postponed, said Krista Williams, the WRHA's chief health operations officer.

As part of the health authority'ssurge protocols, itislooking at otherManitoba health-care facilities to accommodate patient overflows. One patient has already been transferred to Brandonbecause of the crunch for space in Winnipeg.

Kaminskicouldn't say how long she thinks the spike in patient volumes will last.

"We get excited when we see a slight dip and it's down to 110 [more] patients a day,but we expect thatwe haven't seen the peak yet of influenza A, Band respiratory illness."

In addition to spikes in various illnesses, chronic disease and trauma issues are oftenexacerbated this time of year, as are cases of staff illnesses, she said.

Since Boxing Day, thehealth-care system has also been grappling with 22 more patients arriving by ambulance per day than during the same periodlast year,Kaminski said.

Winnipeg's hospitalsare also dealing with a high volume of critical care patients and not enough places to keep them.

Of the 63 intensive care unit beds within the WRHA, five beds are being left empty because of inadequate staffing.Kaminskisaid the health authority is currentlyconducting a review of its ICU capacity.

NDP politicizing 'unusual' situation: health minister

Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew said it's inexcusablethe Winnipeg Regional Health Authorityisn't prepared for the seasonal ebbs and flows of patient volumes.

"Sport Chek has figured out how to staff seasonably. Walmart has figured out how to staff seasonably," he said.

"Why is it thatour multibillion-dollar health-care system cannot figure out how to adequately staff what they know is going to be the busiest time of year?"

The Opposition leaderblamed the staffing woes on the government'sconsolidation of emergency rooms as part of its health-care system overhaul, which he arguedhas overworked hospital employees and caused others to quit.

He also slammed the transfer of a patient to Brandon as "highway medicine."

Health Minister Cameron Friesenaccused Kinew of"regrettably trying to politicize this unusual public health occurrence."

"Whathe neglected to tell reporters today is these same protocols existed under the former NDP government and that similar approaches have been widely used in other jurisdictions for decades," he said in a prepared statement.

Standing room only

Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson said the government, health authorities and nurses' other employers need to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring safe staffing levels during flu season.

"The flu may be exacerbating capacity issues, but it's not to blame for the situation as a whole, and it's something that happens every year," she said in a email.

The recent throng of patients in St. Boniface Hospital's emergency room prompted the hospital to ask those accompanying patients to stand while they waited, soincoming patients could take their seats.

Svitlana Maluzynskywrote in a letter to Premier Brian Pallister saying the standing room-only demand, which she saw firsthand last Friday, was unacceptable. Her relatives who were also at the hospital felt the same way.

"They've never seen it in that state before, so full, and they go to the hospital quite regularly," said the librarian and formerNDP staff member.

"They were quite shocked."

Three different viruses strain resources at city hospitals

5 years ago

Duration 2:02

A spike in the number of patients visiting Winnipeg emergency rooms and urgent care centres since Boxing Day may get worse before it gets better, warns the new chief executive officer of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.