Dear friends and neighbours of Haliburton County,
With heightened awareness of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the news, here is an update about what is happening at Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS).
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Keeping Our Community Healthy and Safe
As the Omicron variant continues to impact Ontario, HHHS is receiving updated and new guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ministry of Health, and Ontario Health, and we will be updating our procedures accordingly.
This is not the situation anyone wanted to be in, but in facing this new challenge, we all have a role to play to keep each other, our loved ones and families, and our community healthy and safe.
Together, we need to double down on our efforts to follow public health guidance, particularly:
• Wearing masks,
• Physical distancing,
• Reducing the number of contacts we have,
• Being immunized for COVID-19 (first, second, and booster doses), and,
• Diligent hand washing.
We also need to continue to care for and protect our mental health and well-being. Visit haliburtoncares.ca and select the ‘Mental Health’ tab for community-based and virtual options to support you and your loved ones.
Actions at HHHS
The HHHS COVID-19 Steering Committee has begun to meet again and will meet regularly to ensure our organization stays on top of the latest changes and updates. The Committee is reviewing capacity and working closely with regional and provincial partners, to prepare for a possible surge of patients. HHHS will publicly communicate any and all changes to our facilities, policies, and procedures that impact the community.
Staff continue to follow COVID-19 protocols, including usage of proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), physical distancing, and strong hand hygiene; COVID-19 vaccine clinics continue to be held for HHHS staff members. HHHS may need to redeploy staff and/or reduce some programs, but no decisions have been made yet on what this would look like.
If you plan to visit any HHHS location, please remember you will be required to wear a medical mask upon entry (supplied at the screening desks) and will be actively screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
Additionally, and effective December 21, 2021, patients in acute care and the Emergency Departments can have 1 essential visitor, who shows proof they have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Exceptions will be made for palliative, critically ill, and pediatric patients.
Other Activities at HHHS
Possible Emergency Department Service Reductions
HHHS continues to do everything we can, with the support of the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health, to keep both Emergency Departments open with full services. The Ministry is focused on supporting hospitals across Ontario to avoid reducing services, and we are grateful for their diligent hard work.
At the moment, HHHS has secured enough agency nurses support to keep both Emergency Departments operating in the months ahead, though the on-going shortage of staff across the province means we do not have many contingency plans. HHHS is seeking to hire an additional recruiter, to help us seek out, train, and deploy additional staff, and to complement the work being done by the County of Haliburton’s Physician Recruiter.
Epic Clinical Information System Implementation
On December 3, 2021, HHHS was joined by our six partner hospital organizations in Central East Ontario in launching a new clinical information system (called Epic) to provide a single health record for each patient in the region.
What this means for patients across Central East Ontario is that they are now able to go to any hospital in our region, and their care team will have real-time access to all of their hospital medical information, so they can provide the safest care possible. There will be less need for you or your loved ones to repeat your medical history as you move from one hospital to another.
Of course, with any major transformation, there is a lot of learning and growth that goes along with it. As HHHS transitions to this faster, safer, and better way to deliver care, patients and families may initially notice longer than usual wait times and some processes that will be done differently. For example, if you arrive at any one of our emergency departments, some processes may take a bit more time than usual as our staff become familiar with the system.
So far, staff are doing well with implementation, but they appreciate your understanding, kindness and patience as they ramp up their understanding and use of the new technology.
---
It has been a long and hard two years for health care workers, and the new challenge of Omicron comes at a time when many are tired and stressed. Please do all that you can to keep yourself, your loved ones, and our community safe this holiday season.
Take care,
Carolyn Plummer
President & CEO
With heightened awareness of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the news, here is an update about what is happening at Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS).
---
Keeping Our Community Healthy and Safe
As the Omicron variant continues to impact Ontario, HHHS is receiving updated and new guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ministry of Health, and Ontario Health, and we will be updating our procedures accordingly.
This is not the situation anyone wanted to be in, but in facing this new challenge, we all have a role to play to keep each other, our loved ones and families, and our community healthy and safe.
Together, we need to double down on our efforts to follow public health guidance, particularly:
• Wearing masks,
• Physical distancing,
• Reducing the number of contacts we have,
• Being immunized for COVID-19 (first, second, and booster doses), and,
• Diligent hand washing.
We also need to continue to care for and protect our mental health and well-being. Visit haliburtoncares.ca and select the ‘Mental Health’ tab for community-based and virtual options to support you and your loved ones.
Actions at HHHS
The HHHS COVID-19 Steering Committee has begun to meet again and will meet regularly to ensure our organization stays on top of the latest changes and updates. The Committee is reviewing capacity and working closely with regional and provincial partners, to prepare for a possible surge of patients. HHHS will publicly communicate any and all changes to our facilities, policies, and procedures that impact the community.
Staff continue to follow COVID-19 protocols, including usage of proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), physical distancing, and strong hand hygiene; COVID-19 vaccine clinics continue to be held for HHHS staff members. HHHS may need to redeploy staff and/or reduce some programs, but no decisions have been made yet on what this would look like.
If you plan to visit any HHHS location, please remember you will be required to wear a medical mask upon entry (supplied at the screening desks) and will be actively screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
Additionally, and effective December 21, 2021, patients in acute care and the Emergency Departments can have 1 essential visitor, who shows proof they have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Exceptions will be made for palliative, critically ill, and pediatric patients.
Other Activities at HHHS
Possible Emergency Department Service Reductions
HHHS continues to do everything we can, with the support of the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health, to keep both Emergency Departments open with full services. The Ministry is focused on supporting hospitals across Ontario to avoid reducing services, and we are grateful for their diligent hard work.
At the moment, HHHS has secured enough agency nurses support to keep both Emergency Departments operating in the months ahead, though the on-going shortage of staff across the province means we do not have many contingency plans. HHHS is seeking to hire an additional recruiter, to help us seek out, train, and deploy additional staff, and to complement the work being done by the County of Haliburton’s Physician Recruiter.
Epic Clinical Information System Implementation
On December 3, 2021, HHHS was joined by our six partner hospital organizations in Central East Ontario in launching a new clinical information system (called Epic) to provide a single health record for each patient in the region.
What this means for patients across Central East Ontario is that they are now able to go to any hospital in our region, and their care team will have real-time access to all of their hospital medical information, so they can provide the safest care possible. There will be less need for you or your loved ones to repeat your medical history as you move from one hospital to another.
Of course, with any major transformation, there is a lot of learning and growth that goes along with it. As HHHS transitions to this faster, safer, and better way to deliver care, patients and families may initially notice longer than usual wait times and some processes that will be done differently. For example, if you arrive at any one of our emergency departments, some processes may take a bit more time than usual as our staff become familiar with the system.
So far, staff are doing well with implementation, but they appreciate your understanding, kindness and patience as they ramp up their understanding and use of the new technology.
---
It has been a long and hard two years for health care workers, and the new challenge of Omicron comes at a time when many are tired and stressed. Please do all that you can to keep yourself, your loved ones, and our community safe this holiday season.
Take care,
Carolyn Plummer
President & CEO