The rest are self-isolating at home.
Ford is likely being told that the number of active cases is much higher than it actually is, and he’s probably being fed a line about how the situation is worse than it actually is. He’s likely being told that the number of active cases will continue to rise, when in reality, the number of active cases has been steadily decreasing since mid-March.
He doesn’t care, or think we will realize, that the 20K hospital beds are not enough to accommodate all of the active cases. He also doesn’t care, or think we will realize, that many of these beds are already occupied by other patients who need medical attention. He is only concerned with the number of active cases and how it looks on paper.
The current occupancy rate of Ontario hospitals is 97.3% of 24,945 beds, or 24,323 beds occupied.
This means that we have an additional 1608 beds available for use in our hospital.
Therefore, our “new normal” admissions are 16486.
The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to practice social distancing, wear a face mask when in public, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and stay home if you are feeling sick.
Quick Facts
Ontario’s hospitals also implemented a number of other measures to help manage the pandemic, including:
– Increasing the use of virtual care and telemedicine to reduce in-person visits;
– Enhancing infection prevention and control measures;
– Implementing additional screening protocols for patients and visitors;
– Reducing the number of visitors allowed in hospitals;
– Establishing dedicated COVID-19 assessment centres;
– Creating additional capacity for critical care beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment (PPE);
– Reorganizing hospital services to ensure that those with COVID-19 are cared for separately from other patients.
The online self-assessment tool helps people to determine whether they need to seek medical attention or not. It also provides advice on how to manage symptoms at home and when to seek medical help. Assessment centres provide testing for COVID-19, as well as other respiratory illnesses, and are located in various communities across the province. Telehealth capacity has been increased so that people can access health care services from their homes. Finally, emergency department doctors are now able to consult with patients virtually, which reduces the need for in-person visits.
As of April 13, 2020, the average hospital occupancy rate was 69.1%Â (64.1% for acute care only), a significant decrease from 96.2% (97.3% for acute beds) before COVID-19 measures. There are over 7,300 acute care beds unoccupied and over 2,000 critical care beds currently available across Ontario.
The ventilators will be used to help treat patients with severe respiratory illness due to COVID-19. O-Two Medical Technologies is a Canadian company that specializes in the design and manufacture of emergency medical products, including ventilators. The company has been working closely with the Ontario government to ensure that the ventilators are produced quickly and efficiently. The ventilators will be delivered to hospitals across the province in order to provide critical care for those affected by COVID-19. This order is part of Ontario’s commitment to providing quality healthcare services during this unprecedented time.
The most effective way to reduce the amount of plastic waste is to reduce the amount of plastic that is used in the first place. This can be done by using reusable items instead of disposable ones, such as shopping bags, water bottles, and food containers. Additionally, people can choose to purchase products that are made with less or no plastic packaging. Finally, recycling and properly disposing of plastic waste can help reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and oceans.
The government has also taken steps to ensure that hospitals have the necessary equipment and supplies to care for patients. This includes procuring additional ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other medical supplies. The province has also established a stockpile of PPE and other medical supplies to ensure that hospitals have access to these items in the event of an outbreak.
In addition, the government has provided funding to hospitals to help them prepare for any potential surge in COVID-19 cases. This includes funding for additional staffing, training, and other resources needed to respond effectively.
Finally, the government is working with health care providers across the province to ensure that they are prepared for any potential surge in COVID-19 cases. This includes providing guidance on best practices for infection prevention and control, as well as ensuring that health care providers have access to the necessary resources and information they need to respond effectively.
- “Thanks to the hard work and relentless preparation of our hospital staff to build capacity in our hospitals, we are in a position to better allocate resources to sectors that are in critical need and respond to any potential surge in cases,†said Premier Doug Ford. “When you combine these life-saving beds with the very best care delivered by our highly skilled hospital staff, our patients will definitely have a fighting chance against this deadly virus.â€
In addition to increasing the number of beds available, hospitals have also implemented a variety of other measures to ensure that they are able to care for COVID-19 patients. These include:
• Increasing staffing levels and redeploying staff from other areas of the hospital;
• Implementing new protocols for infection prevention and control;
• Establishing dedicated COVID-19 units;
• Utilizing telemedicine services to reduce in-person visits;
• Expanding virtual care options for follow-up appointments;
• Enhancing access to personal protective equipment (PPE); and
• Working with community partners to provide additional support.
- “As we’ve said from the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Ontario will be prepared to respond to any outbreak scenario, including having plans in place for the worst-case scenario,†said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Heath. “Thanks to the innovative work by our health care leaders, we have been able to significantly expand acute and critical care capacity in Ontario’s hospitals. While these are positive steps forward, it remains as important as ever that everyone continues to help stop the spread by staying home unless you are an essential service worker.â€
This bed capacity expansion has been organized in coordination with pandemic staffing plans to ensure each hospital has the physicians and staff needed, including in case of a major surge of cases. Measures include:
- Redeploying surgical nursing staff who can now work with medicine units;
- Sharing highly trained emergency department and intensive care unit nursing staffs across units;
- Sharing physician resources across hospitals in a given region;
- Recruiting family doctors to complete shifts within the hospital; and
- Recruiting retirees, including nursing and support services.
The province is also working with the federal government to secure additional resources, such as ventilators and personal protective equipment. The province has also established a task force to ensure that all available resources are being used in the most effective way possible. This includes ensuring that hospitals have access to the necessary supplies and personnel needed to provide care.
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