By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS recently held its annual press conference May 16 to announce the adjustments to its service offerings for the upcoming summer season. Officials speaking included Karine Duchaineau, Deputy Director General for Social Programs and Rehabilitation, and Annie Boisvert, Deputy Director General for General and Specialized Physical Health Programs. They were joined by Yann Belzile, Director of Human Resources.

Duchaineau emphasized that the preparation for the summer season begins during the winter months, ensuring that the CIUSSS can handle the unique challenges of the summer. She noted that this year’s summer season is expected to be less demanding compared to the previous year, thanks to continuous learning and improvements.

Key adjustments in service offerings

1. Home Care Services

   – Reduction and Adjustment of Services: As in previous years, there will be a reduction in home care services during the summer. However, every patient will have a reference contact, such as a primary or pivot intervenor, to manage their care needs during this period.

   – Intensive Home Rehabilitation: A significant transformation in service delivery now allows for intensive rehabilitation to take place at patients’ homes. This is particularly beneficial for patients recovering from cerebrovascular accidents, providing physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and specialized education directly at home. This approach has led to high satisfaction rates among users and optimized hospital bed usage.

2. Long-term care facilities

Some long-term care facility beds, particularly in the western part of the territory (e.g., Bedford, Marie-Berthe-Couture, and Leclerc centers), will be closed temporarily through attrition, minimizing impact on residents.

3. Mental health services

All inpatient beds for mental health services will remain open. Services for mental health, dependencies, and homelessness will continue to be accessible, with priority given to those with urgent need.

4. Sampling centers

   – Closure and Redistribution: Three sampling centers (Lac-Brome, La Patrie, and Argyll (Sherbrooke)) will be closed for the summer. Patients can book appointments through Clic Santé, and those unable to use online services can call the designated phone numbers.

   – Increased Availability: There will be more sampling slots available this year compared to last summer. Notably, the Granit local service network has increased its capacity by 70 percent, offering more appointment slots and walk-in options.

5. Local service points

All local service points will remain operational except for one in Magog. These points will continue offering various health services, including COVID-19 and influenza testing, colorectal cancer screening, and rapid COVID-19 tests distribution. New services will be added in the coming months.

Community guidance

For those currently receiving services, it’s crucial to maintain contact with their reference intervenors for any updates. If appointment changes are not communicated, individuals should attend their scheduled appointments as usual. Additionally, those needing assistance with booking appointments can use the provided phone numbers.

Emergency and information contacts:

– General Health Information: 8-1-1, Option 1 (Info-Santé)

– Social and Mental Health Services: 8-1-1, Option 2 (Info-Social)

– Primary Care Access: 8-1-1, Option 3 (Primary Care Access Desk)

– Suicide Prevention: 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553)

These services operate 24/7 to provide support and guidance to the community.

For more information on the service adjustments and detailed schedules, visit the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS website at: santé-estrie.qc.ca

Boisvert emphasized the prioritization of urgent cases during the summer period. She reassured the public that emergency room services across the territory would remain accessible. Boisvert urged residents to use alternatives for non-urgent situations to reduce pressure on emergency rooms.

Regarding operating rooms, extensive efforts have been made to address surgical waitlists, focusing on cases that exceed waiting times. Plans are in place to continue these efforts throughout the summer, although activities in various operating rooms will be modulated based on specific site requirements. The aim is to maintain urgent surgeries and quickly resume full surgical activities post-summer to tackle waiting lists effectively.

Hospital bed usage will undergo similar modulation, with adjustments based on local needs and resource availability. Boisvert highlighted the importance of timely hospital discharges to free up beds for new patients. She also encouraged accepting transitional accommodation options if offered, even if not the first choice, to ensure appropriate care and maintain bed availability.

Question period highlights

During the question period, several issues were discussed:

1. Fluctuating Hospital Bed Usage: Approximately 120 to 140 hospital beds will be closed during the summer, representing around 10 percent of the total beds. This is a slight increase from the previous year, influenced by varying activity levels and staffing.

2. Staffing challenges: The region faces a potential shortage of up to 2,000 employees during the summer. However, proactive measures from a plan established in 2022 have mitigated the situation, preventing further deterioration. Forced overtime is considered a last resort, and efforts are ongoing to reduce its usage, which has already decreased by nearly 60 per cent since 2021.

3. Decentralization of hours: The implementation of decentralized scheduling has been successful, with over 5,000 employees participating. This approach has improved flexibility and reduced the need for forced overtime.

4. Employee turnover and gains: The CIUSSS has seen a significant improvement, moving from a loss of 3,000 employees to a net gain of 300 over the past year. This positive trend is attributed to enhanced employee engagement and better working conditions.

5. Fleurimont Hospital: Last summer, the operating room at Fleurimont faced considerable challenges, operating at 50 per cent capacity. Due to concerted efforts, capacity has now increased to 75-80 per cent. For the upcoming summer, six operating rooms will remain functional, with plans to reach full capacity by fall, depending on resource availability.