The hospital in Ottawa’s east end says it has made the “difficult decision” to “temporarily partially close” its emergency department Saturday and Sunday between 7:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. The emergency department’s temporary closure will remain in effect until Monday at 7:30 a.m. “Ontario is experiencing continued pressure on emergency department staffing levels due to absenteeism, vacations, fatigue and burnout related to COVID-19,” Montfort Hospital said in a statement Friday afternoon. “Staffing pressures, including in EDs, are being felt by hospitals across the country. These pressures have been acutely felt in recent weeks and due to the unprecedented shortage of nurses at Montfort at this time, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily partially close our Emergency Department.” Montfort Hospital says the rest of the hospital will be “business as usual”. Montfort Hospital said early Friday night that the ER would remain open only for ambulances transporting high-acuity patients. Montfort Hospital is the latest hospital in Eastern Ontario to temporarily close its emergency department due to staff shortages. The emergency room at the hospital in Perth, Ont. closed for three weeks in July, while Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria closed its emergency department for two weeks before partially resuming 24-hour service this week. “The decision to close the Emergency Room, even for a few hours, is not an easy one to make,” Montfort Hospital said. “But we must, to ensure our team are able to deliver excellent, safe and compassionate care when Emergency reopens.” Emergency departments at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, Ottawa Hospital General Campus and Queensway-Carleton Hospital remain open this weekend.
