QCH's ED seeing a significant increase in number of patients

January 08, 2024

Queensway Carleton Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) is seeing a significant surge of patients.

There are 70 individuals waiting to be seen by a physician in our ED and another 35 patients admitted but waiting for a bed. The current wait time for an inpatient bed once admitted is over 48 hours. All our in-patient care areas, including surge spaces, are filled – we are at 115% occupancy.

Later today we will be taking the next step in our Surge Plan — temporarily opening 6-8 beds in the Day Surgery Unit to help ease the pressure on our Emergency Department.

All efforts are being made to keep the surgical schedule intact and ensure our patients receive the highest quality care in the best possible environment.

QCH is asking families who come to Emergency to prepare for longer-than-usual waits or if appropriate, to explore whether they have alternative care options, such as walk-in clinics. If you or a loved one is in a life-threatening situation, do not hesitate to dial 911 or go to your nearest hospital Emergency Department.