Adam Prudhomme
Editor
When the third wave of COVID-19 threatened to overwhelm certain pockets of the province, Lennox and Addington County General Hospital stepped up.
Napanee’s hospital was among those across Ontario that was called into service to take on patients from ‘hot-spots’ such as the Greater Toronto Area where there simply wasn’t enough capacity.
“The province has required organizations to step up and help and that has meant the transfer of patients,” said Tracy Kent-Hillis, chief nursing officer/director of care at LACGH. “We have been privileged to take a number of patients out of the GTA to help support their recovery and hospital treatment for COVID.”
She credited LACGH’s staff for taking on the challenge, helping the province in what has been to date the darkest hour of the pandemic.
“COVID-19 has transformed the healthcare world,” added Kent-Hillis. “It’s changed how we deliver care, how we test patients coming in, how we screen them, how we isolate, how we clean, the PPE we wear. We’ve had lots of ministry guidance and we’ve been able respond to these enhanced precaution on relatively short notice. The team at L&A has been absolutely phenomenal. There’s no one discipline, it’s been every individual in our organization that has participated in our response to COVID-19.”
When the province suspended non-urgent surgeries until further notice, LACGH re-deployed it’s operating room staff to other departments to assist with COVID-19 care.
“As difficult as that has been for hospital employees, they took on that challenge and have been helping with the COVID-19 response in our organization,” said Kent-Hillis. “Although having to decrease our OR, we’re really proud of our staff’s willingness to take on that additional work.”
While COVID-19 has been a major focus for over a year now, the needs for other aspects of care have remained. That’s meant the hospital has had to find new ways to safely deliver important healthcare for patients.
“In addition to the increased chemotherapy capacity and new supportive living units, LACGH has changed the way some service is provided so that care can be accessed without leaving home,,” said Erin Brown, Chief Diagnostic & Therapeutic Services Officer at LACGH. “For example, a virtual urgent care clinic was created and is accessible through the Hospital’s website, and the Cardiorespiratory Rehab program was transformed to a hybrid model of onsite assessment and at-home rehabilitation.”
Despite the additional challenges faced during the pandemic, numerous departments of the hospital have continued to offer important services. LACGH’s diagnostic imaging department has found a way to thrive during this time, weathering not only the pandemic but flooding from a burst pipe last June. Despite it all, the department earned the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences 2021 Team Award in recognition of the quality of their work, innovative service, the staff’s teamwork and collaboration.
Though not out of the woods yet, a recent drop in the number of active cases coupled with ongoing vaccinations has the province trending in the right direction towards ending the pandemic. Kent-Hillis credited the public for doing their part to help slow the spread of the infection as well.
In the meantime LACGH continues to be available to those who need urgent care.
“The hospital is still here if people need to come to the hospital,” said Kent-Hillis. “It’s a safe place to come Both the hospital and the family doctors are working to ensure that health care is available to meet all the needs of our community. There is a fear that post-pandemic illnesses are going to crop up because people aren’t getting looked after during the pandemic but we want to reassure people if you need to come to the hospital, we’re here to help you.”
Prior to visiting the hospital it’s encouraged that people call 613-354-8247 first to speak with someone at the hospital. From there they may be asked to wait in the parking lot or in the waiting room. From there they will be admitted to see a healthcare professional.