We're There for Your Care
- October 2005
- Français
October signals a change in the delivery of emergency care for St. Catharines/Thorold and surrounding area residents. On Thursday, Oct. 6 at 8 a.m. a new Prompt Care Centre will open at the Niagara Health System's Ontario Street Site (formerly known as Hotel Dieu Hospital) at 155 Ontario St., St. Catharines.
The Prompt Care Centre offers medical attention and treatment for both adults and children experiencing urgent but non-life-threatening complaints when their Family Physician is not available.
Examples of types of illnesses and injuries that will be cared for at the Prompt Care Centre include fever, cough, sore throats, ear aches, strains/sprains, and simple lacerations and broken bones that cannot be dealt with at the family doctor's office with a scheduled appointment.
"At the Ontario Street Site Prompt Care Centre, we expect to treat many of the patients with non-life-threatening complaints who in the past came to an Emergency Department," says Dr. Ric Kimacovich, Chief of Emergency Services in St. Catharines. "The St. Catharines General Hospital Emergency Department will continue to be there for more serious and emergency cases."
The Ontario Street Prompt Care Centre will be open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
For emergency care, St. Catharines/Thorold and surrounding area residents will go to St. Catharines General Site at 142 Queenston St., St. Catharines. All 911 ambulance calls will be taken to this hospital Emergency Department, open 24 hours a day.
Emergency Department care is for medical attention and treatment for anyone experiencing serious medical illness or injury such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe pain, complications of pregnancy, or other life-threatening symptoms, such as loss of blood.
If you require medical advice - consult your family doctor or call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Department.
"We have worked with our health care partners across Niagara, including Niagara Emergency Medical Services and area physicians, to make this a smooth transition for the public as well as health care providers," says Tracy MacDonald, Vice President of Patient Services. "A major part of this transition is a communications initiative including newspaper and radio advertisements, info cards distributed directly to St. Catharines, Thorold and area households, info magnets, info kits to physician offices and public buildings, and take-home information for school children. We really want to get the message out about this change, so our patients know where to go to get appropriate care."
"You'll see familiar faces as our highly-skilled doctors and nurses will be working at both Sites - the Emergency Department at St. Catharines General and the Prompt Care Centre at Ontario Street Site - to ensure that all patients receive the highest level of care," says Maria Vuono, NHS Health Program Director Emergency Program.