Windsor Hospitals Preparing For Ebola

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Windsor Regional Hospital’s two campuses are preparing for the possibility of handling patients with Ebola, the hospital said Monday.

Hospital chief operating officer Karen McCullough said the hospital is preparing for “a possible situation where we would have an Ebola patient.”

McCullough said they are readying for the possibility of two distinct situations: one where a patient arrives at the emergency department, possible positive for Ebola, and another where a patient had a confirmed case of Ebola.

McCullough said the hospital will be “as prepared as an organization can be” for both situations.

The hospital recently introduced a new question to their intake screening process which asks patients if they have travelled to Africa within the past 21 days.

McCullough noted that screening for infectious diseases is not new in Ontario hospitals and that proper procedures are put in place for patients meeting the criteria.

If a patient tested positive for Ebola in Windsor, McCullough said they would be transferred to one of several Ontario hospitals recently selected by the Ministry of Health to handle Ebola patients.

Hospital staff are also trained in correct use of personal protective equipment and how to take it off properly, according to McCullough.

She said Windsor Regional wants to emphasize the importance of listening carefully to screening questions should you end up in emergency.

No cases of Ebola in Canada have been reported.