Quinte Health Care has started planning for this year’s flu-season, and a potential surge in patient admission.
At the peak of last year’s flu season, QHC hospitals were 30 per cent over capacity. The problem this year is these hospitals are already working to provide care to too many patients.
QHC hospitals have been between 12 and 30 per cent over capacity throughout the summer months. North Hastings Hospital has not been impacted by these same summer capacity challenges, because QHC plans for an increase in vacationers and cottagers in the area.
Communications and Community Relations Manager Catherine Walker says one of the factors behind these capacity issues is that patients are sicker and need more care. Walker says, when faced with the high number of patients, all four QHC hospitals meet the challenge by working together.