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HomeNewsNorth Bay is prepared with COVID-19 assessment centre at NBRHC

North Bay is prepared with COVID-19 assessment centre at NBRHC

The times may seem uncertain, but the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) is doing its part to keep the risks of COVID-19 low.

“I want to ensure all of you that our organization is taking this situation very seriously,” said Paul Heinrich, the President & CEO of NBRHC. “We have and will continue to take all necessary actions to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 while providing essential care to those that need it the most.”

One of those “necessary actions” has been to set up an assessment centre just outside of the Emergency Department entrance.

“Our staff stepped up to be part of the front lines to fight against COVID-19,” he explained. “This is one of the first 17 assessment centres created in our province. We are ahead of many communities in our preparation.”

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“This assessment centre was able to take the pressure off of our emergency department while also minimizing the potential spread of infection,” Heinrich continued.

Other precautions being taken, have already been announced. Those include visitor access being limited outside of “exceptional” circumstances, and non-urgent clinical activities have been scaled down.

“No one is allowed to visit unless under exceptional circumstances as approved by the manager of their respective department,” Heinrich explained. “One example would be patients receiving end-of-life care, we would have compassionate reasons to consider the visitor situation.”

“We are doing active screening,” he added. “All visitors and patients entering the building are screened for risk factors of COVID-19. Patients with existing surgeries and appointments will be contacted directly by the hospital. Your health care team will continue to review and prioritize urgent health care needs as we work through this crisis.”

According to Heinrich, the hospital has been told to expect anything.

“Canada’s health care experts have all advised hospitals and their health care workers to prepare for the worst,” Heinrich said.

Heinrich does caution the spread of misinformation during this time.

“We have an infodemic, along with a pandemic,” he stated. “It’s very important that we rely on trusted sources.”

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