The Ministry of Health and St. Jude Hospital are working to address a sudden rise in patients flooding the hospital’s Emergency Department (ED). Hospital leadership and ministry officials are collaborating on a plan to ease the strain on hospital resources and staff.
Lydia Atkins, CEO of St. Jude Hospital, emphasized the urgency of the situation.
“Over the past week, we have seen an unprecedented surge of patients in our emergency department. This has placed significant pressure on the department and our staff. We met with the emergency department team and Ministry officials to document the challenges and, most importantly, to arrive at a sustainable strategy to address these issues, including additional patient beds and staffing,” she said.
Ministry Involvement Critical
The Ministry of Health has sent a team to work directly with hospital staff. Dr. Sharon Belmar-George, Chief Medical Officer, explained the need for immediate intervention.
“A team from the Ministry of Health has come to meet with the CEO and the clinical team at St. Jude Hospital to get a better understanding of the urgent issues they face, as this may affect patient care. We felt it was necessary to meet in person to develop a concrete plan of action to address the situation,” Belmar-George said.
Focus on High-Quality Care
The joint effort aims to ensure St. Jude Hospital can continue to deliver high-quality care. Dr. Adelaide Moonie, Medical Director at St. Jude, outlined their strategy to reduce patient wait times while maintaining care standards.
“We understand the challenges this surge in admissions presents to our patients and staff. The implementation of the ‘Reduce Patient Waiting Time’ strategy is a crucial step in addressing these issues and ensuring we continue to provide the highest level of care. We are committed to working through this difficult period and appreciate the public’s cooperation,” Moonie said.
Additional Resources
To meet the demand, the hospital has added six more nurses and three new doctors. It has also secured 20 new beds and supplementary support from primary care facilities to alleviate overcrowding in the ED.
Appeal to the Public
St. Jude Hospital is urging the public to reserve the ED for true emergencies. They are encouraging individuals with non-urgent issues to seek care from primary care providers or wellness centers.
Despite the challenges, the hospital remains dedicated to providing safe, timely, and high-quality care for all patients.
Source/Photo: Government of Saint Lucia
