VIDEO: Increasing numbers of Mississauga hospital patients transferred to other locations

More than 120 Mississauga patients have been transferred to other locations across the province this month as the Trillium Health System (THP) deals with large volumes of new COVID-19 infections every day.

Both Credit Valley Hospital and Mississauga Hospital have had to take the drastic step to relieve some of the pressure locally which healthcare workers here are dealing with on an around-the-clock basis.

“Patient safety is our number one priority and we continue to work closely with Ontario Health and our regional and provincial partners to ensure we can continue to provide safe care through the pandemic and support capacity across the health care system,” said Adam Cotter, manager of major projects and public affairs for THP. “At this time, anyone who comes to our hospital may be transferred to a partner hospital if their physician seems it is safe for them to transfer.”

Patients have been transferred by both helicopter and ground ambulance.

Since December THP has transferred 370 people, but the numbers so far in April account for almost a third of that total.

As well as the transfers, THP has also been forced to increase capacity at all sites including maximizing existing inpatient beds, building 121 new beds including the new Pandemic Response Unit, reducing non-urgent surgeries, and directing new paediatric admissions to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Cotter said hospitals around the province have been working co-operatively with all health systems across the GTA that have been hit hard with the number of COVID patients.

He said based on the latest provincial modelling, transfers will continue in the weeks ahead.