Hawkesbury Hospital closes its emergency department until Tuesday morning

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The emergency department at Hawkesbury and District General Hospital will be closed Friday evening through 8 a.m. Tuesday, a notice on the hospital’s website says.

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The notice, published on Friday, attributes the temporary closure to high emergency room volumes and a shortage of nursing staff.

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“Respiratory illness in the community has occupied the ER for the past month, and its impact has been even greater in recent days,” the notice reads.

The statement also quotes Frédéric Beauchemin, general manager of the hospital, who said that the emergency department has remained open for the past year « thanks to the commitment and dedication of our healthcare, medical and management teams. Unfortunately, this situation is not sustainable in the coming days given the challenges posed by respiratory illnesses that continue to affect our community, including our staff.

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Chairman of the board, Guy Yelle, said the hospital had selected solutions with the least impact on patients and their families. « We have already reduced surgeries and endoscopies to provide services during the holiday season. The closure of the emergency department allows a small group of nursing staff to provide patient care and replace employees who cannot report to work.

Friday’s notice says the family birthing center will continue normal operations.

Patients requiring emergency care during the service closure in Hawkesbury have been advised to call 911 to be transported to the nearest available hospital or to report to one of these facilities: GLengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria; VSornwall Community Hospital in Cornwall; Montfort Hospital in Ottawa; Otahospital ; the Ottawa Heart Institute; Lachute Hospital; St-Jerome Hospital; St-Eustache Hospital; Suroît Regional Hospital; Papineau Hospital; or La Cité de la Santé Hospital.