Assessment Centre Hours of Operation
[New Tecumseth, ON – July 6, 2020] Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) will be adjusting the hours of operation of their COVID-19 Assessment Centre in their lower parking lot (staff/shipping & receiving entrance). The Centre runs three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 3-7 p.m. As of Wednesday, July 8, the Centre’s hours will change to 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
“We are very mindful of the weather our staff are exposed to as they run our Assessment Centre,” says Jody Levac, President and CEO, SMH. “With the PPE they need to wear in addition to high temperatures, the safety of our staff is very important. We are choosing hours that are earlier in the day when the temperature is lower for the wellbeing of our staff,” he adds.
SMH’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre is a drive-thru operation and appointments are not necessary. Staff have access to an air conditioned trailer that they can take breaks in, but the high temperatures as well as patient volumes have been significant, signifying the need to adjust hours of operation.
“Running our Assessment Center has presented many challenges, as our outdated infrastructure has limited parking and space,” says Levac. “Nonetheless, we have successfully managed to surveil our community, and we will continually assess short and long-term options to provide this critical service to our community.”
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre’s volume has tripled in daily visits since the province opened eligibility to the public, as well as placed requirements to those wanting to visit family members in a long-term care facility or other congregate setting. On average 100 individuals are coming through to be assessed each day in operation. Just over 2,000 swab tests have been completed from the Assessment Centre to date.
