Hospital staff pleading for patience as Quebec ERs overcrowded

A month into the school year and the emergency room at Ste-Justine Hospital is still overcrowded.

The ER team there says it's never been worse.

"Viruses are the main causes of the patient volumes we're seeing at the moment," said Dr. Hugo Paquin. "Kids during the pandemic were confined, and this has caused them to not be exposed to most viruses that we see, so since the end of the confinement, we're seeing an increase in both respiratory viruses and an increase in gastroenteritis type viruses as well."

Azhar Chaudhry waited with his six-year-old son Abdureeh for 13 hours at the ER.

"When he has a fever, his heart is pumping hard. Palpitations," he said.

A lack of health-care personnel and difficulty finding a family doctor have contributed to extended wait times at the ER.

Extra waiting rooms in the Ste-Justine corridors have been installed to spread families out, and reminders for parents include trying a walk-in clinic and calling 811 for advice before making the decision to sit in the ER waiting room for hours.

Paquin also advised trying the site aboutkidshealth.ca, as a resource for parents with advice on whether the ER is the best place for their kid.

ER doctors worry that a new spike in COVID-19 cases in the autumn will further clog already congested ERs.

"We are worried about all types of viruses at the moment because emergency rooms are overloaded, so any type of viruses will cause an increase in patient volume," said Paquin.

The Montreal Children's Hospital is also trying to educate parents on when they should or shouldn't go to the ER.

"Our advice is if the fever is prolonged more than five to seven days, or if they are newborn, come in earlier," said emergency pediatrician Dr. Suzanne Vaillancourt. "If your child is having trouble breathing, dehydration and pain you can't control with Tylenol or Advil, that would be another reason to come in."

Paquin added a plea to those waiting for extended periods.

"Please, be patient with everyone in the health-care system who are working very hard to keep the system afloat," he said.