The Listowel Wingham Hospitals Alliance credited the incredible work of its leadership team, staff, and physicians for limiting emergency department closures over the summer.
A report to the Board of Directors pointed to innovative staffing models and recruitment efforts for nursing and medical lab technicians, assistance from the Emergency Department Locum Program, and the commitment of local physicians.
The report showed that during the summer months, emergency department closures were limited to a total 49 hours at the Wingham site. The board was told the outlook is stable for now.
However, emergency department services in Southwestern Ontario could see disruptions as London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care revise their incentives to offset severe emergency department physician staffing challenges for the fall.