Frank Vassallo says he wants Kemptville residents to be aware of the challenges nurses and workers at the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) are dealing with.
Vassallo, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), spoke with MyKemptvilleNow.com late last week about its recent struggles with staffing and patient volume in the Emergency Department.
“I think an awareness of the challenge that we’re facing, and having patience and understanding of the pressure that we’re all under, I think that’s helpful,” he says.
Currently, people with non-urgent ailments are being encouraged to avoid using the hospital’s Emergency Department because of the staffing shortage.
“We don’t take these decisions lightly,” Vassallo says. “This pains us deeply, when we reduce services. We all entered this profession to make a difference, to offer much-needed services to our community that we’re privileged to serve. So, when we’re faced with reducing those services, believe me, it’s not taken lightly, and it’s met with a lot of concern.
If you’re dealing with a non-urgent ailment, Vassallo is encouraging you to book an appointment with your family doctor.
If you don’t have one, he also recommends using Health Connect Ontario, a provincial service that connects people with registered nurses for medical advice for free over the phone and online.
You can read more about the service here.