Horizon’s CEO says ‘surge’ plan in place early for hospitals over the holidays

New Brunswick’s largest health authority is hoping to keep things moving for the holidays.

New Brunswick’s largest health network has launched its ‘surge strategy’ early for its’ hospitals over the holiday season, with extra staff ready to help if necessary, says CEO Margaret Melanson.

Melanson says Horizon Health hospitals are seeing an increase of respiratory illnesses, mostly flu, and with many hospitals operating at-or-overcapacity, she says this operational plan is necessary.

“The holidays are a time when our emergency departments typically will see increased demand,” she said. “Our focus remains on delivering safe, compassionate care.”

But Melanson acknowledged the ongoing challenges facing Horizon hospitals.

“Right now, almost 40 per cent of our acute care beds across Horizon are occupied by patients who have been medically discharged,” she said. “At some of our hospitals, the situation is even more severe.”

Those patients are often waiting for a long-term care placement, so remain in limbo. They cannot return home safely, so have to remain in hospital until a long-term care bed becomes available.

Melanson said on average, in Horizon’s city hospitals, about 20 patients are admitted via the emergency department every day.

That means discharges are necessary – but with hospitals already overcapacity, staff are having to use unconventional spaces in order to treat patients.

That includes hallways, storage rooms and clinical spaces not set up as treatment rooms.

Melanson said it’s “not acceptable.”

The health network is hoping those with non-urgent needs, like people who need prescriptions filled, seek other options – like walk-in clinics or pharmacies.

She’s confident in the plan – but recognizes anything could happen.

“We always need to be prepared for those emergencies, those unfortunate traumatic events that may happen in our communities or accidents and so forth that may contribute to larger, urgent events that our impacting our emergency departments, in which case we would need to pivot accordingly and look at additional space for admitted patients,” she said.

Melanson is also putting a request out to New Brunswickers.

“Our physicians, nurses and healthcare staff will be working throughout the holidays, giving up precious time with their own families…they deserve to be treated with kindness, patience and respect,” she said.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.