Off-load delays at Windsor-Essex hospitals lead to 'code black'

Another ‘code black’ was declared Monday night with no less than a dozen ambulances parked outside the Windsor Regional Hospital.

It has the local paramedics union sounding the siren.

“I think people should be concerned. I’m concerned for my loved ones. I’m concerned for the members of the public,” said CUPE 2974 President James Yovanovic.

A code black means no Essex-Windsor EMS ambulances are available anywhere in the city or county. They are instead, tied up, waiting to offload patients.

EMS Chief Bruce Krauter says Monday’s are busier days at the hospital with patients being discharged and moved to other areas, but this week’s backlocked bay is still impacting service — three days later.

With the hospital and emergency department full, Erie Shores took a lot of patients on Monday.

No EMS is transferring them back to Windsor.

“We did a call out to staff and thankfully some jumped up and took the extra shifts,” Krauter said.

Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy is bringing an emergency motion to council Monday, with plans to petition provincial government representatives to do something about the delays.

“We know we’re not alone and other areas of our province experience backlogs in waiting rooms,” Bondy said. “But this is something that the province needs to step up and urgently examine.”

She is encouraging residents across Windsor-Essex to write their representatives voicing their concerns.

Krauter said the dependence on emergency room doctors, for those who don’t have a primary care physician, isn’t helping.

“We have to find a solution. I don’t know what the answer is, but we got to get all the partners to the table,” he said. “If the government can coordinate getting all the partners to the table and funded appropriately I think we can make good strides.”

Windsor-Essex MP Andrew Dowie said if Krauter thinks a meeting is necessary, he is open to it.

“So there's just no one fix here,” he said. “We have to attack all facets of the problem. And the government is doing that and it's investing in all those different avenues where people in our community are able to receive care.“

Yovanovic encouraged residents to still call 911 in an emergency situation.

“We will send somebody and someone will be on the way,” he said.