Port Colborne’s Urgent Care Centre

Key Facts

We’re Still Here to Care for You...
Port Colborne Urgent Care staff from left –
Dr. Jeannie Walton, RN Jack Benes,
RN Patti Tufnell

• Port Colborne Site’s Emergency Room Department will convert to an Urgent Care Centre
  (targeting July/09).
• Douglas Memorial Site’s Emergency Room Department will convert to an Urgent Care Centre
  (targeting September/09).
• Both Centres will be open 7 days/week , 24 hours/day.
• Main differences are ambulances will no longer bring emergency cases to these sites and patients will no longer be admitted directly to these sites. Discussions are underway with Niagara Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to have non-emergent ambulance calls continue to go to the 24/7 Urgent Care Centres.
• As has been the case for the past few years, patients will be transferred to a larger Niagara Health site for consultations with specialists and when they need sophisticated diagnostic tests.

Frequently-Asked Questions

Q: For residents of Port Colborne, what are the care options when there
is no longer an ER?
A: Think about what it is you need – do you have a minor ailment? Would you go to a doctor’s office if you could? If you can’t, then go to the Urgent Care Centre. Do you think you need admission to hospital? Do you need a specialist? Then go to an Emergency Department. Are you having difficulty breathing, chest pain, symptoms of stroke? Call 911.

Q: What is going to happen to the ‘H’ sign at Port Colborne Site?
A: The ‘H’ will stay on the building, signaling that hospital-based services are available.

Q: How will Welland handle all the extra patients in that ER when they have such long waits now?
A: The Welland ER was built to handle 43,000 visits/year so there is enough space. Currently, there are two physicians on duty during peak hours five days a week. We’ve just introduced 22 Medical Directives – these reduce patient wait times as now nurses can start some tests before the patient is seen by the ER doctor. As well, a new Clinical Systems Investigation Unit will fast track non-urgent patients through the Welland ER.

Know Your Options

The Ontario government has launched a new website to let communities know about the primary healthcare services available to them. Learn more about your options – go to www.ontario.ca/healthcareoptions and click on the grey Find Your Health Care Options box or call 1-866-330-6206.

EMERGENCY

Call 911
for a life-threatening emergency

You should use 911 only in an emergency. Dialing 911 provides you with emergency response and transport to emergency services and should be reserved for those who really need assistance. Sometimes it is difficult to know whether your problem is serious or not. Call 911 or go to an Emergency Department for:

• pains or tightness in the chest
• severe pain
• shortness of breath
• choking or having difficulty breathing
• fractured or broken bone
• sudden, severe headaches, vision problems, sudden weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the face, arm or leg, trouble speaking, or dizziness (stroke symptoms)
• child has diarrhea and vomiting and won’t eat or drink
• baby under six months has a fever over 38.5°C (101°F)

If you have any doubts about whether you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. The ambulance will take you to the appropriate ER. To learn more about Niagara EMS services, go to www.niagararegion.ca and click on living/ emergency services.

Go to
A Hospital Emergency Room

ERs accept ambulances and are staffed by physicians and nurses trained in emergency medicine treating patients with severe illnesses or injuries. ERs experience high volumes of patients, especially during the winter and holiday season. Patients are seen in order of urgency, not by arrival time, so please be patient. The ER is designed to handle the above emergency medical situations.

Niagara Health Emergency ROOMs

Fort Erie: Douglas Memorial Site, 230 Bertie Street, Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (Converts to 24-hour Urgent Care Centre September/09)

Niagara Falls: Greater Niagara General Site, 5546 Portage Road, Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Port Colborne: Port Colborne Site, 260 Sugarloaf Street, Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (Converts to 24-hour Urgent Care Centre July/09)

St. Catharines: St. Catharines General Site, 142 Queenston St., Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Welland: Welland Site, 65 Third Street, Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

URGENT

Go to
An Urgent Care Centre

Urgent (Prompt) Care Centres are similar to Emergency Rooms in that they are staffed by physicians and nurses trained in emergency medicine. These professionals treat illnesses or injuries that cannot wait for a scheduled appointment with a primary care physician. Urgent Care Centres are equipped to do diagnostic tests such as X-rays and ultrasounds as well as blood tests.

They treat adults and children who have non lifethreatening illnesses or injuries such as:

• cuts or wounds that may require stitches
• sprains, strains or deep bruises • mild to moderate asthma attacks
• ear infections
• urinary tract infections
• coughs, congestion, sore throats
• diarrhea
• insect bites and rashes, abrasions, fever, simple fractures

Niagara Health Urgent Care Centres

St. Catharines: Prompt Care Centre, Ontario Street Site, 155 Ontario St., Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (note – name is changing to Urgent Care Centre July 09)

Port Colborne: OPENING JULY/09 – Urgent Care Centre, Port Colborne Site, 260 Sugarloaf St., Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day (currently ER Department is located at this site)

Fort Erie: OPENING SEPTEMBER/09 – Urgent Care Centre, Douglas Memorial Site, 230 Bertie St., Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day (currently ER Department is located at this site)

SICK

Go to
Your family physician

Ask your doctor’s office what back-up coverage they offer or recommend when they are closed (i.e. after-hours clinics or on-call service).

Call
Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or go to www.health.gov.on.ca

Telehealth Ontario provides free access to a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for general health questions. You will receive confidential advice on what to do or where to go about any health-related concerns.

Go to
A Walk-in Clinic

A walk-in clinic is available to anyone requiring non life-threatening medical care. It is a primary care clinic, but not an urgent care facility or Emergency Department, providing same-day care by a physician without an appointment. Walk-in clinics provide care for non life-threatening illness such as:

• fever
• sore throat
• cough
• earaches
• muscle/joint pain
• skin lesions

Niagara Health Location

Niagara-on-the-Lake: Walk-in Clinic, Niagara-on-the- Lake Site, 176 Wellington St., Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to Noon and 2 to 4:30 p.m., Thursdays 12:30 to 8 p.m.