Waiting periods at Fort St John Hospital are extended due to “higher than usual patient volumes,” according to Northern Health. The emergency department is also experiencing “longer than usual” times.
Other departments in the hospital are affected, but Northern Health did not specify which ones. People with less urgent medical needs are advised to contact their primary care practitioner to book an appointment or visit one of the health authority’s virtual clinics. In doing this, patients are “(helping) to reduce strain on emergency and acute care resources,” the authority said.
Priority in the emergency department is given to those with more severe symptoms and needs.
Northern Health reiterated that emergency services are available but should only be accessed by those with urgent concerns. Examples provided by the organization include having trouble breathing, chest pains, broken bones, and eye injuries. They also said “patients who have experienced a sudden and/or unusual change in their health” should call emergency services to be transported to the emergency room.
In a separate announcement, Northern Health reminded patients to be kind to healthcare workers – who are working through staffing shortages and increased patient volumes.
Twenty-one minor, non-urgent medical needs, including birth control and UTI medication prescriptions can be performed by pharmacists in B.C.
Representatives at HealthLink B.C. are also able to determine if a trip to the emergency room is needed. This service can be reached at 8-1-1, and provides “non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists,” Northern Health said.
