DRHC to Ramp Down Non-Urgent and Non_Emergent Surgeries to Assist with Provincial COVID Response.

April 26, 2021

The Dryden Regional Health Centre (DRHC) is dedicated to continuing to safely care for residents of Dryden and the surrounding area, while responding to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective April 21, 2021, the Ministry of Health issued an amended Directive #2, requiring all hospitals across the province to ramp down non-urgent and non-emergent surgeries and procedures with the intention to preserve Ontario's healthcare system capacity to effectively deal with COVID-19 patients throughout the province.
DRHC is working with the Surgical Medical Providers (Surgeons) who will review all booked and referred surgeries and procedures to determine which will continue based on the principles outlined in Directive #2 including proportionality, minimizing harm to patients, equity and reciprocity. Cancellations of surgeries and procedures may occur. Patients will be contacted if their surgery or procedure will be cancelled at this time.

The directive does not require DRHC to ramp down any other services, and urgent and emergent surgeries and procedures will continue as planned.

"The COVID situation in other parts of the province is quite alarming," says Doreen Armstrong-Ross, Chief Executive Officer at the Dryden Regional Health Centre. "We are prepared to assist the province in any that we can to help protect the healthcare system, and save lives. This could include having patients from elsewhere admitted to DRHC, or sending willing staff to other parts of the province"

At this time, it is not known when elective procedures will be able to resume in the region. The DRHC will continue to keep the community informed as new information becomes available.

For further information, please contact:

Doreen Armstrong-Ross
Chief Executive Officer
Dryden Regional Health Centre
Box 3003,
Dryden, Ontario P8N 2Z6
Telephone: (807) 223-8201 Extension 2260

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