A number of regional health care partners are working together to prepare for high seasonal volumes.
Erie Shores HealthCare, Essex-Windsor EMS, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, and Windsor Regional Hospital are collaborating on capacity and resource management, as well as informing the community on what to expect as the region heads into the winter.
Annually, hospitals anticipate high emergency department visits and admission volumes - often times running over 100 per cent capacity.
However this year, the organizations state they are already operating at surge-season levels, running at 120 per cent capacity before winter even begins.
In order to manage this demand, additional beds will be opened and resources will be redeployed where needed.
Jonathan Foster, Vice President of Emergency Services at Windsor Regional Hospital, says these organizations are already seeing over 100 per cent occupancy.
"And that's a little bit early so it makes us a little concerned for what's going to be coming, and that's why we're really encouraging people to take some good preventative steps for their own healthcare. Get vaccinated, or talk to your provider, nurse practitioner, or family doctor about your vaccination status, and it's not just for you it's to prevent that spread to other people in your life."
He says these organizations have multiple daily huddles to stay in communication.
"We meet multiple times per day with EMS, and looking at the flow and volume of patients by EMS between Windsor Regional Hospital and Erie Shores HealthCare, so we've got these built-in daily huddles that our front-line staff and leaders participate in. It really is all hands on deck."
Foster says the hospital is open all hours of the day.
"Even if you do think you're going to have a long wait, if you're having an emergency, come to the emergency department. And we see cases based on their priority, so life-threatening conditions are seen immediately. So again, we don't want this message to discourage people from using emergency services, but take some preventative steps and work with your provider to know when it is an emergency."
For non-emergency situations, the public can call 811, go to a walk-in clinic, or contact their family doctor to make an appointment.
Those who are experiencing an emergency are still encouraged to go to the hospital for assistance.
