A temporary seasonal care clinic open at the Chatham hospital at the end of November has paid off handsomely by easing the workload for staff at the Emergency Department (ED).
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is reporting the unique seasonal clinic has reduced ED volumes by 15-20 per cent on some days and reduced thousands of hours of staff time over the past two months.
CKHA Vice President of Clinical Programs and Operations Caen Suni said 763 patients received care at the seasonal clinic from opening day November 22, 2023 until Sunday, January 28, 2024.
Suni said the patients were suffering from aches, sore throats, fever, and cough, adding that on average their waiting times for getting care at the ED would typically be from 3.5 to seven hours for an illness that can be treated very quickly.
Suni said the seasonal clinic saw patients at least seven times faster than the typical ED wait times and has had a very positive impact on hospital operations.
"I can report that individuals going to the seasonal clinic typically experience a turnaround from the point of registration to having been seen between 30 and 45 minutes and that 45 minute mark is probably someone waiting for somebody ahead of you for example," said Suni.
Suni said last week was the busiest week for the seasonal clinic, adding that over that week more than 125 patients got care.
He noted the seasonal clinic will close February 29, 2024. He added an extension of the clinic could be in the cards if required and CKHA will monitor the situation.
Suni added the seasonal illness appears to have peaked from a hospital stand point and no procedures have been cancelled as a result of seasonal illnesses such as influenza, colds, and respiratory sickness.
Suni said seasonal illness has not been as aggressive this year as in previous years and he gives frontline workers a lot of credit for the work they're doing to keep the hospitals in Chatham and Wallaceburg on track.
"I'm not saying there has not been an impact, I'm saying in terms of prior years, it doesn't appear to have been as aggressive as we're seeing in other partner hospitals. We do keep daily track of in-house patients of COVID and other illnesses and they are present, but I don't believe they're present in the same volumes that we've seen in prior years at this point, which is a good thing," he added.
CKHA teamed up with Chatham-Kent EMS to provide the clinical service out of a mobile trailer outside of the CKHA's emergency department in Chatham.
The goal is to free up space in the Emergency Departments during the seasonal surge of cold, flu, and respiratory illness by providing care for residents who don't have a primary care provider like a family doctor or can't be seen by their family doctor or a nurse practitioner in a "timely manner."
"The overwhelming feedback is fairly positive. I think people are pleased they're not waiting very long and they're pleased with the quality of care. They're very interested in having us maintain this throughout the seasonal illness period and that's what we plan on doing until at least February 29th," Suni said.