Valley Regional Hospital beyond capacity, solutions limited

Annapolis Valley Health (AVH) continues to experience significant service pressures at Valley Regional Hospital (VRH) and across the district. All beds are full and scheduled surgeries are being cancelled daily.

Some people who need to be admitted are being held in the Emergency Room for extended periods to wait for a bed or, where appropriate, are being transferred to other hospitals to receive care.

Every effort is being made to provide necessary care in the best way possible within the current constraints. Some patients are being cared for in the halls on the in-patient units and others are being admitted “off service” to units that do not normally provide the specific service that is required.

An unusually high number of patients requiring orthopedic surgery due to broken bones and the increasing number of people who are waiting in hospital for more appropriate care in the community are two factors contributing significantly to this situation. The impact of the recent flood at this site continues to impact ambulatory services.

The Emergency Room in Valley Regional Hospital, Soldiers Memorial Hospital and Annapolis Community Health Centre remain open to provide emergency care.

If you have an emergency, call 911 or proceed to the Emergency Room. Emergency Departments in AVH use a triage system that gives priority to emergency cases.

People who have less urgent needs are encouraged to go to the clinics at either Eastern Kings Memorial Community Health Centre in Wolfville or the Western Kings Memorial Health Centre in Berwick.

Spokesperson Jan MacKinnon said in a Feb. 20 news release that Annapolis Valley Health acknowledges the impact that the current situation has for patients, families, staff and physicians and thanks the public for its ongoing patience and support as it works with others in the health system to address the underlying issues.