Markham Stouffville Hospital limiting visitors amid longer than usual emergency wait times

Hospital encourages non-emergency patients to consider community health clinics

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 19, 2024
Scarlett Liu

Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) has posted a notice on its website about its emergency department being overrun.

“Wait times at Markham Stouffville Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) are longer than usual. If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, go to the ED. If your situation is not an emergency, please consider our Community Health Clinic,” reads the notice.

Although the EDs at both Markham Stouffville Hospital and Uxbridge Hospital remain open, they are seeing high volumes with this year’s cold and flu season.

“Our Markham site is the ninth busiest ED in the province, and our catchment area is home to one of the fastest growing populations in the province,” said Terri Stuart-McEwan, vice president, clinical programs and chief nursing executive of Oak Valley Health. “Our busiest weeks in December saw a 200 per cent increase in patient volumes compared to the same time period pre-pandemic.”

Compounding the situation are a few additional factors, such as patients not having access to primary care and needing to come to the ED, as well as system-wide shortages of long-term care beds and adequate home health supports, leading to challenges in discharging patients.

According to its latest media release, a COVID-19 outbreak was declared at MSH within the rehabilitation/integrated stroke in-patient unit on Jan 3. In December, there were four COVID-19 outbreaks at MSH.

“Many patients need to be isolated because they have COVID-19 or another respiratory illness, which reduces the number of beds we have available,” Stuart-McEwan added. “Similarly, when a hospital unit has an outbreak of an illness like COVID, we are limited in admitting new patients to that unit, again further reducing our capacity.”

Data from the last 30 days shows the longest waiting period throughout the day in the ED is from around noon to 1 p.m., with a waiting time of nearly three hours, and it does not include the time patients wait in line to be triaged.

Oak Valley Health's Markham Stouffville Hospital emergency department
Emergency wait times at Markham Stouffville Hospital are longer than usual and the hospital is limiting visitors for the time being.

Like many hospitals across the province, MSH is experiencing health human resource challenges, which is further emphasized by an increase in patient volumes.

“To maintain patient safety and comfort, we are limiting visitors to the ED by only allowing one visitor for each adult patient and two visitors for each pediatric patient,” the website notice continues.

In the meantime, for health care issues that are not emergencies, MSH encourages patients to visit the Community Health Clinic (CHC) and Virtual Urgent Care Clinic (VUCC), which are in partnership with Eastern York Region North Durham Ontario Health Team.

Both the CHC and the VUCC are staffed with health care professionals specializing in adult and pediatric care, and same and next-date appointments are available at both:

Oak Valley Health’s Community Health Clinic -- Adult Services

5402 Main St, unit 5, Stouffville

Hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone: 905-591-5454

Online booking

Oak Valley Health’s Community Health Clinic -- Children's Rapid Access

5402 Main St, unit 5, Stouffville

Hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone: 905-591-5454

Online booking

Oak Valley Health’s Community Health Clinic -- Virtual Care

Hours: Daily from 1 to 9 p.m.

Online booking