From Emergency to Urgent Care in Fort Erie

  • September 2009

Lead Story ImageFrom left, Douglas Memorial Site staff - Charge Nurse RN Joanne Jackson, Dr. RJ Kamatovic, Admin Assistant Pam Mackie.

This month, the Emergency Room (ER) Department at our Douglas Memorial Site in Fort Erie is converting to 24-hour/7-day a week Urgent Care Centre. Hospital staff members have been intensely involved in making sure this was a safe and smooth transition for the public Sept. 28.

The NHS has been working closely with healthcare partners and is pleased to announce a new agreement with Niagara Emergency Medical Services (EMS) that permits ambulances in the Fort Erie area to take non-emergency patients directly to Douglas Memorial Site’s new Urgent Care Centre. This is a first for Ontario and will be closely monitored to ensure patients are getting the care they need. A similar arrangement will start up in October/09 at Port Colborne Site’s Urgent Care Centre.

Naturally, there are many questions about the transition from Emergency to Urgent Care in these Lake Erie communities. At recent Info Sessions, hundreds came by to hear from clinical leaders on the difference between Emergency and Urgent Care, the hospital-based services available, what changes mean for residents, and more. Please read on and click on the link to learn more about our Emergency and Urgent Care services.

Key Facts

  • Port Colborne Site’s ER Department converted to an Urgent Care Centre July 6 and the changeover was smooth. Patients report they are being seen quickly and are receiving the care they need.
  • Douglas Memorial Site’s ER Department converted to an Urgent Care Centre Sept. 28.
  • Both Centres are open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
  • The doctors/nurses staffing the Urgent Care Centres will have the same training as ER staff, with the same equipment – they can handle any case that comes in.
  • The majority (up to 95%) of the patients who now come to these sites for their emergency care will continue to be served in Fort Erie and Port Colborne.
  • Serious emergency and life-threatening cases will go by ambulance or car to full-service ERs in Welland or Niagara Falls or beyond, as their medical condition dictates.
  • For Port Colborne and Fort Erie sites, the main differences in the service are that ambulances will no longer bring emergency patients to these sites and patients will no longer be admitted directly to inpatient beds at these sites.
  • As has been the case for the past few years, patients will be transferred to a larger Niagara Health site for consultations with specialists and when they need sophisticated diagnostic tests.
  • At Niagara Health Emergency and Urgent/Prompt Care departments, new medical directives allow specially-trained RNs to order blood work and diagnostic tests to help reduce the wait time for patients being assessed and treated.
  • In St. Catharines, the name of the Prompt Care Centre at Ontario Street Site (formerly Hotel Dieu Hospital at 155 Ontario St.) was changed to Urgent Care Centre, effective Sept. 28. It is open 7 days a week, 14 hours a day (8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) to treat non-emergency cases.

Urgent Vs Emergency Care - What’s the Difference?

  • A full-service ER takes every level of patient, from those suffering a life-threatening heart attack or car accident, to those with a minor ear infection or sprained ankle.
  • Urgent or Prompt Care Centres (these terms are interchangeable) are for those patients who have bumps and bruises, mild infections or injuries.
  • Niagara EMS paramedics do not take emergency cases to Urgent Care Centres. Urgent Care physicians do not admit patients to an inpatient unit, although they may keep a patient for several hours for observation. Patients who come to an Urgent Care Centre but require more detailed diagnostic tests or treatment are transferred to a full-service ER.
  • Under a new agreement, Niagara EMS paramedics are taking non-emergency cases by ambulance to Douglas Memorial Site’s Urgent Care Centre. A similar arrangement will occur at Port Colborne Site’s Urgent Care Centre in October/09.
ER Departments Treat Urgent Care Centres Treat
  • Chest pain and/or shortness of breath
  • Broken bones
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Dizziness
  • Stroke symptoms - Sudden, severe headaches, vision problems, sudden weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the face, arm or leg, trouble speaking, or dizziness [Note – Niagara’s Stroke Centre is at Greater Niagara General Site]
  • Numbness in your arms or hands
  • Major injuries
  • Mental health issues

Call 911 if you have severe chest pain, stroke symptoms or a serious emergency. Ambulances bring patients to Emergency Departments.
  • Simple fractures, sprains, sports injuries
  • Cuts that may need stitches
  • Minor burns
  • Minor abdominal pain (nausea,vomiting, flu)
  • Ear, nose and throat problems
  • Coughs and colds
  • Fever
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Diarrhea
  • Insect bites
  • Eye problems

Urgent Care Centres have access to services such as x-rays, lab tests and pharmacy.

Ambulances do not bring emergency cases to Urgent Care Centres.

Know Your Options

The Ontario government has launched a new website to let communities know about the primary health-care services available to them. Learn more about your options – go to www.ontario.ca/healthcareoptions and click on the grey Find Your Health Care Options box or call 1-866-330-6206.

For more details on emergency and urgent care, go to http://www.niagarahealth.on.ca/urgent-and-emergency-care/.

Our Success Factors