Status Report: Hospital Operations

Horizon Health Network has prepared this status report in order to provide the public with situational information regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our health care system. This report will be updated at different intervals as the situation evolves.

Hospital Operations and Service Levels

Given the ongoing rise in COVID-19 activity in New Brunswick driven by the Omicron variant, Horizon’s hospitals remain underRedalert level protocols at this time.

This means we have reduced certain services, including some elective surgeries, professional services and ambulatory care clinics, which will provide us greater flexibility to re-assign staff to priority areas such as inpatient units, ICUs, Emergency Departments, COVID-19 Assessment Centres and Vaccination Clinics.

ONCOLOGY SERVICES ARE CONTINUING. If you have an Oncology appointment, please continue to attend as planned (you will not be contacted).

Patients are reminded that appointments for non-urgent surgeries, as well as non-urgent laboratory services, blood and specimen collection and Diagnostic Imaging are being postponed. Patients and clients will be contacted to reschedule as soon as the situation allows.

While we are working hard to maintain as many services as possible, staffing resources are being stretched across our organization. A total of 198 of our health care workers are off-work and isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. 

Community Services

Horizon’s community services, including our health centres and Addiction and Mental Health Services, HAVE NOT moved to Red alert level and services are being maintained at existing levels.

Although Horizon Community Services has been impacted by staff absences due to COVID-19, our health centres are continuing to provide primary care access to patients and our Addiction and Mental Health programming for adults and youth are continuing at existing levels.

Our teams are leveraging the use of virtual care where possible to help ensure care and services can continue to be delivered to clients in a safe and timely fashion 

Statistics (as of 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 7, 2022)

Hospital occupancy and COVID-19 inpatients

Facility name	Occupancy %	COVID-19 inpatients
The Moncton Hospital (TMH)	91%	8 (3 in ICU)
Saint John Regional Hospital (SJRH)	97%	24 (2 in ICU)
Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (DECRH)	92%	4 (1 in ICU)
Miramichi Regional Hospital (MRH)	101%	5 (2 in ICU)
Upper River Valley Hospital (URVH)	90%	1 (None in ICU)

COVID-positive Health Care Workers (HCWs) in Isolation

Health Zone	Positive HCWs
Zone 1	41
Zone 2	112
Zone 3	33
Zone 7	12
Horizon Total	198

Postponed Surgeries, Procedures and Appointments

For the week of Jan. 3-7, 2022
Surgeries postponed	237
Lab, Diagnostic Imaging, Professional Services appointments postponed	6,618

Visitor Information and Hospital Access

Due to the continued high number of COVID-19 cases and risks associated with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant across New Brunswick, Horizon is maintaining its current visitor restrictions.

This means there continues to be NO SOCIAL VISITORS ALLOWED at Horizon hospitals and health care facilities.

Some exceptions are in place for certain patients, including patients who are eligible for a designated support person (DSP).

More information regarding Horizon’s DSP program is available on our website.

DSP visits are temporarily suspended in the following units due to the implementation of outbreak control measures:

• The Moncton Hospital
  • 5100 – Family Practice and Geriatric Unit
  • 4100 – Neurosciences and Surgical Unit
• Miramichi Regional Hospital
  • 2 West – Medical Stepdown Unit
  • 4 East – Alternate Level of Care and Palliative Unit
• Saint John Regional Hospital
  • 3CS – Orthopedics/Urology
  • 4BS – Neurosciences
  • 5CS – Family Medicine
  • 3AN – Obstetrical/Gynecological Unit
  • 3CN – General Surgery
  • St. Joseph’s Hospital
    • 6^th floor Restorative Care Unit

While we understand these restrictions are difficult for patients and families, as health care providers we must remain extremely vigilant in controlling the risk of viral spread within our facilities for the protection of our patients, physicians and staff. We strongly encourage patients and families to connect using electronic or virtual means where possible. 

Point of Care Testing (POCT) Kit Distribution

Horizon wishes to remind the public of changes to the provincial distribution of Point of Care Testing (POCT) kits.As of Jan. 5, 2022, POCT rapid testing kits will be distributed on an appointment-only basis for those aged 2 to 49 with symptoms of COVID-19.

This will be in effect until further notice. To book an appointment, visit https://bit.ly/3FWAnck and follow instructions. Anyone picking up rapid tests must present an email confirmation of their appointment.

If you have access to rapid POCT, please share with those who need them. Rapid tests don’t protect anyone when stored on a shelf at home.

To protect our supply of POCT, please only use them if you have symptoms of COVID-19.

Vaccination Clinics

Horizon wishes to remind the public that, as of Jan. 4, 2022, walk-in doses of Pfizer-BioNTech are reserved for those aged 12 to 29 and walk-in doses of Moderna are reserved for those 30 and over.

All New Brunswickers aged five and over are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Click here to schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination. If you are unable to book an appointment online or have questions, call 1-833-437-1424.

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