MONTREAL — We observe an increase in the number of emergency room visits in January between 2023 and 2024. This situation is particularly present in Montreal, among other things because cases are more complex in the metropolis and the aging of the population is more significant. .
These are elements of Santé Québec’s response to explain why the pressure in emergencies is greater in Montreal.
“We note an increase of more than 600 visits per day across Quebec as a whole compared to the same period last year,” said Véronique Wilson, deputy general director for network coordination and operations support at Santé Québec. .
During Santé Québec’s weekly press briefing on the situation in emergencies on Friday, Ms. Wilson clarified that for the Montreal region alone, there are 200 additional visits per day to emergency rooms compared to the same period last year.
Between January 7 and 20, we note that the increase in daily visits to emergency rooms is more marked in Montreal, at 9.2% over the past year, and “in the 450 it is almost 7%”.
“This increase in visits can be explained in particular by the needs and complexity of Montreal customers. Users who present to the emergency room are often sicker, older and have more complex needs,” said Ms. Wilson.
“These users therefore find themselves lying on a stretcher more often and ask that we take time to properly care for them, which will increase the stretcher occupancy rate.”
Ms. Wilson also argued that specialized hospitals, notably the CHUM, the MUHC, the Jewish General Hospital, the Sacré-Cœur Hospital and the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, serve clients who live outside the metropolis. . External patients sometimes exceed 30% of the clientele of these hospitals.
Friday afternoon, the occupancy rate in Montreal’s emergency rooms stood at 145%, compared to a provincial average of 121%. The highest rates are found in Laval (171%) and the Laurentians (154%).
The goal is to temporarily increase the number of beds available in a facility, outside of the emergency department. This helps balance the pressure on the floors and in the emergency room, explained Ms. Wilson.
“We know very well that increasing the number of beds on units does not alone solve hospital congestion and that it should be a temporary solution. This is why hospitals are currently making great efforts to improve hospital fluidity,” she says.
-Strong spread of influenza
The national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, reported a drop in the number of cases of COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) across the province. However, influenza cases are on the rise. Until mid-February, the curve should continue to grow.
“We must therefore anticipate that there will be consequences for people and hospitalizations. There are often between 6,000 and 7,000 per year, hospitalizations, and even around 300 to 400 people who go to intensive care. Unfortunately, we also have deaths,” he mentioned at a press briefing.
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against complications of influenza and Dr. Boileau reminded that there is always time to get vaccinated since the peak of the flu season has not yet been reached.
To date, 1.7 million Quebecers have been vaccinated against influenza. “Which is very good,” commented Dr. Boileau, but he encourages those who do not have their dose to protect themselves before the peak of the circulation of the flu virus.
Dr. Boileau indicated that the vaccination rate among 65-year-olds is a little below 60% across the province, with the target being 70%. In CHSLDs and private seniors’ residences, the public health target has been reached. “When we reach 60% we are satisfied, we are happy at 70%,” he summarizes.
On the other hand, Dr Boileau was delighted that the measles epidemic which broke out in December was contained for the moment. As of January 21, 13 cases have been confirmed in the Laurentians, Montreal and Laval. He calls on families who are not vaccinated against measles, particularly children, to make an appointment to receive the vaccine.
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