EHS reminds Nova Scotians to ‘make the suitable name’ to entry well being care over vacation season

The vacations are upon us, and with a surge in respiratory sicknesses and overburdened emergency departments — to not point out a storm bearing down on the province — residents are being reminded to “make the suitable name to entry the suitable care.”

This contains realizing when to name 9-1-1.

The messaging was shared Thursday by Emergency Well being Companies (EHS) Operations, Nova Scotia Well being (NSH), and the IWK Well being Centre.

“Utilizing the 9-1-1 system appropriately permits paramedic assets to be obtainable in circumstances of medical emergencies that pose a direct menace to life,” notes a media launch despatched by EHS.

“We encourage Nova Scotians to name 9-1-1 for medical or life-threatening emergencies.”

Life threatening emergencies embody however aren’t restricted to: stroke/facial consciousness, new onset of weak point, coronary heart assault/chest ache or tightness, an incapacity to wake/unconscious, seizure and/or head harm, and sudden onset of extreme headache or confusion.

They’ll additionally embody seizure and/or head harm, main assault, extreme problem respiratory or hassle talking, uncontrolled or extreme bleeding, main trauma (lack of a limb or laceration), extreme allergic response, or extreme burn.

Greater than 125,000 now with no major care supplier

For conditions thought-about minor or non-urgent, persons are suggested to go to their well being care supplier (if they’ve one), to name 811, contact Digital Care NS, or attend a walk-in clinic, pressing therapy centre, or non permanent cellular major care clinic in case your neighborhood is shut to 1.

Probably the most current reporting from the province signifies that as of Dec. 1, there have been 125,278 Nova Scotians (12.6% of the inhabitants ) with no major care supplier.

That quantity solely contains these whose names are on the Want A Household Observe Registry and is up from the 124,409 Nova Scotians who had been on the checklist as of Nov. 1.

Much like the “what’s open/what’s closed” lists that pop up this time of 12 months, what choices can be found if you happen to’re in want of major well being care over the vacations however don’t have entry to a supplier?

Digital Care NS additional appointment slots

To assist with demand, Digital Care NS has added just a few further digital care appointment slots outdoors of the common schedule.

Though sometimes closed on weekends and holidays and with set instances Monday to Friday, further digital care appointments have been made obtainable on the next dates:

Dec. 31 from 9am 1pm

Jan. 4 and 11 till 7pm

Jan. 7, 8, 14, and 15 from 9am to 5pm 

The Digital Care NS program is offered to anybody on the Want A Household Observe Registry. It’s not an emergency service.

Go right here to register or request a digital go to.

Major care clinics

Short-term cellular major care clinics have popped up in a number of communities throughout the province over the past three months.

These clinics will not be an emergency service and are as a substitute supposed to handle non-urgent, low-acuity well being points.

These points embody: gentle strains/sprains and gentle complications; earaches; sore throats; pores and skin and eye irritations and minor respiratory points and infections; urinary tract infections; cough/flu/chilly signs; and prescription refills or renewals of non-controlled substances,

NSH is advising the subsequent major care clinic might be on the Cobequid Well being Centre in Decrease Sackville on Dec. 27 from 9am to 4:20pm and Dec. 30 from 9am to 4:20pm.

A cellular higher respiratory clinic in Antigonish designed to solely tackle non-urgent, low-acuity respiratory points will subsequent open on Dec. 29 from 5pm to 8pm in Antigonish Market Sq..

In a media launch earlier this week, NSH reported that within the final three months, greater than 1,600 sufferers have been seen at these non permanent clinics in Sydney, Antigonish, Digby, Weymouth, HRM (Mumford, Cobequid and Dartmouth), and Yarmouth.

NSH mentioned extra of those clinics are deliberate at areas all through the province within the new 12 months.

Extra info and a schedule of major care clinics may be discovered right here.

Spherical up of assets

Nova Scotians are reminded to by no means hesitate to go to an emergency division when experiencing an emergency.

For common well being recommendation and knowledge, name 811. The service is offered 24/7 by skilled registered nurses.

The Atlantic Canada Poison Centre may be reached by calling 1-800-565-8161 or through this hyperlink.

The provincial Psychological Well being and Addictions Disaster Line will also be reached 24/7 by calling 1-888-429-8167

Further community-based assets (and knowledge) about the place to go for well being care in every of the province’s well being zones will also be discovered right here.

“Through the use of the care choice that matches your medical want, EHS, NS Well being, or the IWK can present the suitable care, for the suitable affected person, by the suitable supplier, on the proper time,” famous the media launch despatched by EHS on Thursday.

“These care pathways are based mostly on greatest practices, analysis proof and obtainable choices in your neighborhood.”