In an effort to ease pressure on its emergency rooms, Windsor Regional Hospital is expanding its COVID-19 assessment clinic to include patients suffering from influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
The clinic will take both adult and pediatric patients starting on Monday.
As a result, the hospital is renaming it the Adult and Pediatric Respiratory Care Clinic.
It will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and patients need to book an appointment online or call 519-973-4443. Phones are answered Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The hospital said the ongoing burden of COVID-19, coupled with the early flu and RSV season, has put the local healthcare system under significant strain. It's resulted in longer wait times in emergency departments and staffing challenges.
Windsor Regional asks patients to contact their primary caregiver first.
"Please remember that Windsor Regional Hospital, like most acute care hospitals in Ontario, is continuing to experience higher than normal patient volumes, which contribute to offload delays for local paramedics, and most importantly, delay our ability to admit patients into our hospital from our emergency departments," read a release from the hospital. "If you are experiencing a critical or life-threatening situation, you will be prioritized by emergency department staff and seen immediately. We ask that those not experiencing a medical emergency consider consulting a family physician, visiting a nearby urgent care or walk-in clinic, or calling Ontario Health Connect at 811."