There is a renewed call for patience, as hospitals across the province deal with more patients in their emergency rooms, and less staff to treat them.
Guelph General Hospital is no different.
Last year around this time, the average time for a patient in the emergency room at GGH – from walking in to walking out – was hovering around 6.9 hours. Now, "with all these system pressures," the president and CEO of the hospital says that has increased by 72 per cent, to about 11.8 hours.
"It's not just about the number of patients (though)," Marianne Walker told GuelphToday.
"It's that what we're seeing is the visits for moderate to high acuity and complexity have increased. And that's been for quite a few months, actually."
For those needing beds, she said the wait could be up to 30 hours nowadays.
On top of all this, Walker said there's also the pressure of dealing with an increasing population in Guelph.
"We're one of the fastest growing communities," she said. "I think we're seeing that as part of the increase in the number, and the types of patients that are coming through our doors."
She said she understands the frustration people have on the situation, but is asking for patience and kindness toward staff.
"Patients requiring care will be prioritized based on urgency, regardless of the hospital you choose to go to," officials said in a joint news release from hospitals across Waterloo-Wellington.
"If your need is less urgent, we ask that you please be prepared for longer wait times.
"Our team members continue to come to work tirelessly every day to support patients and provide the best care possible. Please be patient and kind as we do our best to see you as soon as we can."
They also advised residents to explore options, whether it's checking in with a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
You're also encouraged to visit a walk-in clinic or an urgent care centre.
