Province takes aim at ER wait times by adding community-care capacity to free up hospital beds
The province is aiming to free up hospital beds and cut wait times by adding 103 community-based care spaces in Winnipeg for patients who need shelter or specialized supports in order to be discharged.
The Manitoba provincial government is taking steps to alleviate hospital bed shortages and reduce wait times by adding 103 community-based care spaces in Winnipeg. These spaces will be used for patients who need shelter or specialized supports in order to be discharged. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara stated that the system will gain nearly 40,000 hospital "bed days" annually, and patients will receive the "right care in the right place" when all spaces are operational.
The 103 new spaces represent the vast majority of net new additions, and all will be fully staffed. The cost of these spaces exceeds $7 million. The 103 community spaces will primarily serve homeless patients or those requiring mental health or other supports. This measure aims to free up hospital beds, thereby reducing congestion in emergency rooms and enabling quicker patient flow.
Premier Wab Kinew emphasized that the quality of care will improve due to this initiative. The community spaces include 32 beds for homeless patients at Siloam Mission, 15 beds at an Indigenous-run wellness center, 15 spaces at Ten Ten Sinclair Housing Inc. for accessible housing units, and eight beds at N’Dinawemak for residents with complex needs.
Additionally, a mobile support team will aid 25 patients requiring six to 12 months of additional post-hospital support. Some of these spaces are already in use, with the remainder set to open soon.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
