Community Update: Patient Transfers

To our Community,

At North York General (NYGH), nothing is more important than protecting your health and providing the highest quality care to patients. 

As you may have heard, Ontario is experiencing a very serious increase in the number of people with COVID-19 in the community and our hospitals. Hospitals and health care providers across Ontario are working together to control the spread of the virus, provide the best possible care to patients, and get people vaccinated as soon as possible.

Hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and other areas are having to make the very difficult decision to transfer patients to other hospitals – within the region and to other areas of Ontario – that have available beds and resources.  Ontario hospitals have agreed that this is necessary to protect our patients, and critical services for the most seriously ill patients.

During this emergency, hospitals may be directed to transfer patients to another hospital without the usual consent of the patient, family and/or substitute decision maker that is required in normal circumstances.

If NYGH experiences a shortage of critical care and hospital beds, we may be directed to transfer patients to another hospital with the resources to care for these patients.

We are committed to ensuring that all patients are safe and well supported throughout their care and during a potential move to another location.

We know this may be very difficult and disruptive. However, we must take exceptional steps to ensure hospital services are available to everyone who needs them during this very challenging time.

It is important that the community knows that NYGH Emergency Department is fully open and if you need emergency care, please come to the hospital without delay.

Thank you for your understanding during this hard time.

The Care Team at North York General Hospital