OTTAWA AREA HOSPITALS POSTPONE NON-URGENT SURGERIES, PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMMING TO PREPARE FOR COVID-19
OTTAWA – March 17, 2020 – As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve locally, Ottawa area hospitals are taking further action to ensure the health and safety of patients, families and our workforce. In-line with guidance from the Ontario Ministry of Health, hospitals in the Ottawa area are taking a planned approach to postpone non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and outpatient programming and clinics.
Hospitals are always here to care for patients, and are working together to find solutions to protect safety, while continuing to provide excellent care.
Surgeries, procedures, and outpatient programming and clinics to be postponed will be selected on a set of clear criteria to carefully consider the health-care needs of our patients while maintaining their safety. Hospital staff are in the process of notifying patients, so that they have all the information they need regarding their care.
Reducing activity in operating rooms and other areas of the hospital allows the hospitals to be ready to take on potential COVID-19 cases, as the situation continues to evolve. Hospitals in the Ottawa area are also stepping up their infection prevention and control to help reduce the possible spread of COVID-19.
For more information on each hospital's response to COVID-19 can be found on their websites:
-30-
Media contacts:
Bruyère :
Jesse Cressman Dickinson, jcressmandickinson@bruyere.org
CHEO :
Paddy Moore, pmoore@cheo.on.c
Montfort :
communications@montfort.on.ca
The Ottawa Hospital :
Michaela Schreiter, mschreiter@lho.ca
The Royal :
Karen Monaghan, karen.monaghan@theroyal.ca
The Universit of Ottawa Heart Institute :
Leigh B. Morris, lmorris@ottawaheart.ca
Queensway Carleton Hospital :
Ann Fuller, afuller@qch.on.ca