Patients who need to go the emergency department at Toronto’s Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) this weekend should be ready to deal with “significant service and wait time delays.”
The service impacts, which will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday and run throughout the weekend, are due to “planned technological upgrades” as MGH prepares to move to its new Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre.
Michael Garron Hospital, in a memo posted to its website, said its emergency department would remain open, but patients will be prioritized based on the severity of their illness and/or injuries.
“Individuals who require care for an urgent but non-life threatening health concern are encouraged to consider using alternate care providers to receive the care they need in a timely manner,” the hospital said.
Patients should note that MGH’s virtual emergency department and e-booking portal for minor injuries will also be closed on both Friday and Saturday, and will not be accepting new bookings. Both services will resume on Sunday.
Michael Garron Hospital’s clinical assessment centre will also have reduced hours on Friday. It will only be open for walk-ins and appointments from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the last walk-in at 2:45 p.m.
The hospital’s community outreach centre in Thorncliffe Park and the Health Access Taylor-Massey centre in Crescent Town will also be temporarily adjusting their hours and services due to the upgrade.
Michael Garron Hospital is further advising people that due to ongoing high patient volumes and demand for urgent care, those visiting MGH’s emergency department after the technological upgrade may still experience longer-than-normal wait times.
Due to scheduled technological upgrades required ahead of our move to the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre, MGH’s Emergency Department (ED) will experience significant service & wait time delays beginning 5 p.m. on Friday, November 11 lasting through the weekend. 1/5 pic.twitter.com/P69huaJwwU
— MGH / TEHN (@MGHToronto) November 10, 2022
People are being advised to visit the hospital’s website or social media channels for more information and updates.
