Seek Emergency And Urgent Care When Needed
29-5-2020
Windsor.Regional.Hospital reminds residents to continue to access our emergency departments (EDs) for care that cannot wait.
Local EDs remain safe places for individuals to go for acute care services. Hospital emergency departments, cancer services, and urgent and emergent diagnostic imaging (such as X-ray, MRI, ultrasound) and critical surgical services continue to be provided. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) also continue to meet patient needs in the community.
If you feel unwell and think you require urgent or emergent care, call 9-1-1 or go to a hospital emergency department. Medical professionals are there to care for you, just as they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hospitals have taken precautions to ensure a safe care environment for all patients and staff. These steps include: enhancing screening of patients to ensure the right precautions are being taken, increased cleaning of the care environment and equipment, ensuring staff are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and limiting visitors with the hospital.
"There are too many cases where patients have come to the ED much later than they should have; people who may have had a stroke or heart attack," said Dr. David Ng, Emergency Department physician and Erie St. Clair lead for Emergency Services. "If you are very ill or have an emergency health issue, please seek care at the ED and don't wait".
For everyday health needs, patients can access primary care virtually through their family physician or through a virtual walk-in clinic.
Assessment centres for COVID-19 are in place at locations across the Erie St. Clair Region (WRH's is located at Ouellette Campus beside the ED, open 9 am to 9 pm weekdays and 9 am to 4 pm Saturdays and Sundays). These sites provide in-person assessment for individuals presenting with a symptom consistent with COVID-19 or for anyone who is concerned they have been exposed to COVID-19. A referral from a physician, nurse practitioner, or Telehealth is not required.
Information on symptoms, as well as self-assessment, can be found a:
We thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation to contain the spread of the COVID-19 illness, as we continue to deliver the critical care services our patients need.
Please continue to visit www.ontario.ca/coronavirus or www.wrh.on.ca for regular updates on COVID-19.
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