Lakeshore Hospital birthing unit closed for the weekend, Montreal North hospitals postponing elective surgeries

MONTREAL -

The birthing centre at Lakeshore Hospital in Montreal's West Island will be closed this weekend except for emergencies.

The West Island health and social services centre (CIUSSS-OIM) said that the administration reorganized services temporarily beginning Friday night and lasting until Monday at 8 a.m. The reorganization was necessary, the CIUSSS said, due to lack of staff.

"Moms and families will not be left on their own," said spokesperson Hélène Bergeron-Gamache . "Cases that require priority and urgent care will be seen promptly."

The delivery room was only affected Friday night, and has been back to normal service since 8 a.m. Saturday. The neonatal care unit will resume services on Monday.

All patients will be redirected to the birthing units at the LaSalle Hospital (about 25 minutes away) and St. Mary's Hospital (about 20 minutes away).

MONTREAL NORTH HOSPITALS POSTPONE ELECTIVE SURGERIES

The Sacre-Coeur, Jean-Talon and Fleury hospitals in the Montreal North health and social services centre (CIUSSS) reduced the number of elective surgeries three days before the hospitals typically do.

As such, the CIUSSS said starting Dec. 20 (instead of Dec. 23), elective surgeries will be postponed to free up beds.

Spokesperson Séléna Champagne said all urgent and semi-urgent surgeries will be performed, as well as oncology and day surgery cases.

"We also continue to operate on all patients currently hospitalized in our beds who require surgery," she said.

For the Dec. 20-22 period, the hospital as reorganized its operating schedule temporarily to operate with fewer beds.

"Unfortunately, at Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur-de-Montréal, there are about five patients whose surgery will be postponed in the short term, while about five other patients will be operated on more quickly as day surgeries," said Champagne.

The reorganization was done because emergency rooms are very busy, Champagne said, and COVID-19 cases are rising.

As of Friday, the Montreal North CIUSSS has reported 1,668 new COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks, including 251 from Thursday to Friday.

The CIUSSS is encouraging all health-care workers to get their third dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and the administration is advising virtual meetings and telemedicine when possible.