Sask. healthcare system 'creaking' amid fourth wave
Healthcare workers in Saskatchewan are having to choose who gets appropriate critical care and which patients will receive care on the hospital floor.
It’s a glimpse into what the current COVID-19 situation looks like in the province.
“The system is creaking, we’re at the level of the pandemic where it is really taxing our system,” said Dr. John Froh, deputy chief medical health officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
“It’s shuddering under the burden and the burden will grow.”
Froh’s commentary came during the SHA’s weekly physician town hall on Oct. 7.
Froh said Saskatchewan is well into the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in cases is being driven by the Delta variant.
Saskatchewan’s ICU pressures have the healthcare system moving from the yellow to red zone, he said.
That means the limited healthcare staff are providing substandard care for patients in critical need and/or at risk of death, more service slowdowns, an increase in preventable deaths and the possibility of transporting ICU patients out of province, he said.
“We continue to grow in terms of cases and we haven’t turned a corner."
The physician town hall offered some bleak predictions when it comes to ICU admissions in the coming weeks.
As of the town hall on Oct. 7, the SHA reported the total number of ICU patients across the province at 114, of which 79 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19.
SHA projections show ICU capacity for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients could exceed 115 beds by Sunday - and the province could eclipse 125 ICU beds by Oct. 24.
“I know we’ll be sending patients out of province,” said Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Susan Shaw.
The province broke records each day last week in terms of new cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions.
Shaw noted one patient is receiving care on the hospital floor, hooked up to high-flow oxygen.
“I know they’re getting excellent care on the floor but it’s not the standard we want to provide,” Shaw said.
Shaw said the possibility of Saskatchewan’s healthcare system moving towards triage protocols is becoming more real.
“I'm finding it hard to find a path that doesn't get us there,” Shaw said.
She also noted with Saskatchewan adding 450 new COVID-19 cases every day, many will need care in a hospital.
“And a percentage of those are going to need ICU,” she said.
The physician town hall also heard how 55 per cent of patients with COVID-19 had their first diagnosis with a test in the emergency room or ICU.
“So we don't have a window to do a lot of early intervention,” Shaw said.
On the immunization front, 80.1 per cent of eligible Saskatchewan residents have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, last among the provinces.
74.9 per cent have received two vaccines, the second-lowest mark in Canada, just ahead of Alberta.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Intelligence memo flagged possible 'violent revenge' after Ottawa protest shutdown
Newly disclosed documents show federal intelligence officials warned decision-makers that the police dispersal of 'Freedom Convoy' protesters in Ottawa last winter could prompt an 'opportunistic attack' against a politician or symbol of government.

Majority of Canadians say sexual misconduct is a big issue in youth hockey: survey
Amid allegations of sexual assaults involving members of past Canadian men’s world junior hockey teams, Canadians say sexual misconduct remains a concerning issue within the sport’s culture.
Increased loneliness, isolation a side effect of inflation for Canadian seniors
Canadian seniors are being forced to make tough choices, cutting out frills and nice-to-haves in the face of near 40-year-high inflation rates. But older adults also face a unique, less-talked-about challenge — the increased social isolation that experts say often occurs as a result of high inflation.
Trump's angry words spur warnings of real violence: officials
A growing number of ardent Donald Trump supporters seem ready to strike back against the FBI or others who they believe go too far in investigating the former U.S. president.
Crimea 'sabotage' highlights Russia's woes in Ukraine war
A spate of explosions and a fire that was still burning Wednesday have turned Russian-annexed Crimea from a secure base for the further invasion of Ukraine into the latest flashpoint highlighting Moscow's challenges ahead in a war that is nearing the half-year mark.
More than half of Canadians say the pandemic negatively impacted their children: report
A new report has found that more than half of Canadian parents report 'negative impacts' on their children after two years of living through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why is ArriveCan still mandatory, and what is Ottawa's plan for the app?
The glitch-prone app touted as an efficient border tool early in the pandemic has become a punching bag for critics who question its utility -- but ArriveCan may be here to stay.
Trump foe Cheney loses Wyoming GOP primary, ponders 2024 bid
Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, Donald Trump's fiercest Republican adversary in Congress, soundly lost a GOP primary, falling to a rival backed by the former U.S. president in a rout that reinforced his grip on the party's base.
Parents will need a prescription for some children's liquid medication, SickKids warns
Parents of young children may need a prescription for over-the-counter fever and pain medication due to a shortage at some pharmacies, Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children is warning.