Victoria General Hospital Emergency Department Closing in October, 2017

Victoria General emergency department closing October

New urgent care centre to open in fall

Winnipeg Free Press   By: Staff    Posted: 06/19/2017 10:57 AM

Victoria General Hospital’s emergency department will close and reopen as an urgent care centre this October.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) made the announcement on June 14, 2017 as part of the health authority’s update on widespread changes to Manitoba’s health care system.

The health authority said capacity is being created at St. Boniface Hospital, Grace Hospital and Health Sciences Centre in advance of the change to handle any additional patient intake.

Other changes at Victoria General include the relocation of intensive care beds to Grace Hospital and St. Boniface Hospital; inpatient beds to shift focus to transitional and complex continuing care; and geriatric rehabilitation will move from current locations at St. Boniface Hospital and Riverview Health Centre to Victoria Hospital and Deer Lodge Centre.

The health authority said preparations will take place over the summer before the closure of the emergency department. They include:

• Hospital unit roles changing to better group patients according to required care. Staff will be engaged to prepare for changes and training will be delivered where needed

• Lab and diagnostic services will be reorganized to ensure appropriate resources are available;

• Ambulance protocols will be updated to make sure paramedics are informed of the appropriate hospitals to transport patients to;  and

• A public education campaign will be launched to teach patients and families what an emergency medical situation is and where to go if one happens.

For more information, visit: Winnipeg Regional Health Authority or the Province of Manitoba.

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