STATEMENT
For immediate release:
March 29, 2020
Further reductions in non-urgent and emergent care at London Health Sciences Centre
The COVID-19 situation is evolving in Ontario and London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) continues to take new actions to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and protect our staff, physicians and patients. As a result, further service reductions are being made at this time in an effort to preserve clinical capacity to respond to an increase in patients with COVID-19.
Effective March 30, only urgent and emergency procedures, including surgeries, will proceed at LHSC. Urgent and emergency procedures are currently defined as only those that must be completed within the next 7 days.
These reductions are being made in addition to the previous significant service reductions in elective surgeries and other non-emergent clinical activity and apply to all clinical activity at LHSC, including the MAiD program which has referred all in-hospital cases to the community.
As with the previous service reductions, there will continue to be special consideration for cancer care, renal care, and mental health care; and essential services such as trauma, stroke, urgent cardiac care, transplant, and the birthing centre will continue to be provided to our patients.
We recognize that the changes in our service delivery cause uncertainty for our patients and their loved ones. Any patient whose appointment or procedure is impacted by these further reductions, will receive direct communication from their physician to discuss their ongoing care plan.
-30-
Visit the LHSC Media web site at www.lhsc.on.ca/about-lhsc/media-room
