Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre must reorganize its Emergency Department

Moncton, Friday, April 26, 2019 – Vitalité Health Network informs the public that the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre must reorganize its Emergency Department in order to be able to provide patients with safe care. This situation is a result of the nursing shortage.

“This situation is not an easy one but out of a concern for transparency, we prefer to inform the public.”

In concrete terms, this reorganization means that the number of stretchers in the Emergency Department will drop from 17 to 10. Patients are placed on these stretchers for short periods while they are under observation or awaiting a hospital bed on one of the facility’s care units. This situation will be re-evaluated on May 13.

Gilles Lanteigne, the Network’s President and CEO, explained that this reduction in the number of stretchers will reduce the intake capacity of the hospital’s Emergency Department.  “This difficult but necessary decision has been made in conjunction with the facility’s physicians and nursing staff. Work is ongoing with our internal teams to develop a longer-term plan,” he said. “This situation is not an easy one but out of a concern for transparency, we prefer to inform the public.”

The Network asks people whose condition does not require urgent care to make an appointment with their family doctor, to visit a walk-in clinic or to call Tele-Care at 811 rather than reporting to the Emergency Department. The public is informed to expect longer than usual wait times for non-critical cases.

Vitalité Health Network regrets any inconvenience that this situation may cause.