Laurentians hospitals in critical situation, transferring COVID-19 negative patients to long-term care homes

Some patients being moved as hospitals over-capacity Some patients in Quebec are being moved out of hospitals to long-term care homes as capacity is being reached.

MONTREAL — Citing a critical situation in Laurentians area hospitals, certain patients, who have tested negative for COVID-19, are being transferred to long-term care homes (CHSLDs) in the region.

Laurentians health and social services centre spokesperson Hugo Morissette said staff are being forced to pivot on a daily basis as the epidemiological situation remains distressing.

CHSLD double rooms have been adapted to support safe hospital discharges for those who no longer require hospitalization.

"However, we feel it is important to point out that these admissions only concern people who have tested negative for COVID-19, and that these transfers will only take place in cases where we have confirmation of a negative PCR test," said Morissette.

Those who test positive for COVID-19 are transferred to designated hot zones at the hospital.

"Although we are confident that this decision will not endanger the residents of our CHSLDs, it was taken after the application of several other measures aimed at reducing the pressure on our hospital environments, and was therefore not our first choice," Morrisette added.

The Quebec Institute of Public Health (INSPQ) is monitoring 4,155 active COVID-19 cases in the Laurentians and the region's active cases per 100,000 people is at 640.5. However, 64 people have died in hospitals in the region, which is second only to Montreal (208).

Since the beginning of December, when the Omicron variant fueled the latest wave of COVID-19 infections, Morrissette said the CISSS has opened more than 120 temporary patient beds, but the hospitalization numbers have forced further action leading to the use of CHSLDs.

After arriving at the care home, a five to 10-day quarantine is required.

"We would like to point out that the process put in place has been adapted to ensure the prevention and control of infections as much as possible, and that several specific measures will have to be respected in order to ensure the safety of the other residents of the facilities concerned," said Morrissette.

Families have all been sent a personalized letter advising them that their loved one is being transferred to a CHSLD, and visits are encouraged for those with the appropriate vaccination status.