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Uospitals hoping to avoid iholiday crunch next year By FRENE GENTrLE The Champion« The worst is probably over for Halton's belea- guered emergency depart- ments, the Region's health and social services commit- tee heard last week.* And a team of local health care trouble-shooters are hoping to pre- vent a similar crunch lrom devel- oping next year, said Scott McLeod, senior health planner with the Halton/Peel District Health Council (HPDHC). "The peak activity actually seema to have passed," hie aaid. "We've struggled our way through another year." The relief is largely due to s provincial infusion of $196 million simed at propping up Ontario's hsmstzung healtb system. The December 23 announcement awarded $5.5 million to Halton Heslthcare Services (HHS) and $1.2 million to Joseph-Brant Memorial Hospital. HHS operates the amalgamated Milton District and Oakville- Trafalgar Memorial hospitals. The cash will be used to beef up nursing staff, as well as the num- bers of acute care, rehabilitation and long-term-care beds. The annual holiday emergency "We've struggled our way through another year," room gridlock is caused by a comn- bination of factors, saiti Mr. McLeod. "What you're aeeing in the emer- gency department is nos really an emergency depsesmnens problem," be saiti. "Current activisies far exceed what thse buildings were planned for." And t hat tieficit becomes more noticeable over Chrismas when- many doctor's offices anti clinica ahut down. "Physicians are off anti their recordinga will say go to the emer- gency depsrsment, essentislly," saiti Mr. McLeoti. The criais is worsened by a acarcity of long-term-care beda in the region. "Because we can's move patienta out into long- term-csre facilities, you end top with beti block," he said. "You csn't move people from the emergency tiepsesmens inso a beti." And a tiiscrepancy between ambulance anti hospital procedures hasn't helped. "The hospital has a five-point triage aystem and the ambulance has a five-point triage syssem," e xplained Mr. McLeod. "And they are exactly opposite." To tackle the problem, the HPDHC hosted s series of meet- ings with health professionals such as hospital CEOs, Regional health department staff, Halton Community Care Accesa Centre employees and front line hospital workers last December. The meetings were called at the direction of the Ministry of Health andi Long Terin Care with the aim of finding ways to get through the busy season. "The message as that point from the CEO group is there is no long- term solution unlesa we can atidreas the capacity andi staffing issues," saiti Mr. McLeod. 'lThese were coping strategies, nos long- term strasegies." Ant hough thse Provincial lionts will go a long way toward easing the situation, the effects won's like- ly be felt until next year. 'The spike as Christmas simie and the new year is traditional, but everyone seems to be surpriseti when it happent," said Mr. McLeod. "Knowing this hsppens every year, let's ansicipase it a little better next year." The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, February 15,2000--5 RICHARDSI CEIVRGLoMT-GLSMGDILE à Interhop Internet Access. Web Design and Hosting. E-Commerce LOS CHICAGO Vancouver Montreal LAS YR NOW AVAILABLME The only Internet Service Provider in Canada that allows you to access your internet account from over 500 cities and 6000 dial-in locations in North America at no extra charge. 225 Main St. E., Suite #13 876-391 8 www.interhop.net SALS UM -EV NOM IMm.n u ....s . Beni-pm lionF ...... 8em !5 FoIay ....... Sa m n Tues .....87>B s»S ....... tçw5m Smow ...... eaff-2pm