Triaging surgeries, virtual care: N.L.'s health system is in pandemic mode

Jack Eastwood should be preparing for open-heart surgery. 

Instead, he's bracing himself for the job of warding off a dangerous virus — one that's especially concerning for people like him, who live with pre-existing conditions.

Prior to the global COVID-19 outbreak, Eastwood was waiting for a bypass operation that was supposed to happen sometime before the end of April.

While his condition is serious, he says, it's not immediately life-threatening — making his surgery elective. That means a new policy introduced by provincial officials Sunday night will push back that operation indefinitely, making room for COVID-19 patients that could begin crowding hospitals and requiring intensive care.

Ensuring hospitals free up that space is necessary, Health Minister John Haggie said Monday.

"We have more flu cases in this province this year than there are COVID-19 cases in Canada currently," he said. "We have 60 people in hospital at this present moment with influenza-like illnesses, so you're then going to add another disease on top, with the same kind of pattern."

But strain on the system isn't the most pressing reason Eastwood wants to stay away from the operating theatre for the time being.

"Although I want [this surgery] done, I don't want to be in a place where [there's a] possibility of contracting something that might cause death, especially if you're compromised," he said.

"I don't even like going to grocery stores."

Omnibus pandemic policy

The call to postpone non-urgent operations is one of a few shocks to the system in recent days.

Pandemic policies rolled out over the past week include limiting visitors in hospitals and long-term care homes in an effort to prevent contagion.

"This virus spreads mostly through respiratory and contact. That means we should try to avoid being in crowds and particularly try to avoid people who might get very sick from this virus," said Dr. Charlene Fitzgerald, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association.

"All of the actions that are being taken are about trying to limit everyone's circle to a very, small predictable circle, so that hopefully those circles don't overlap and people don't spread the virus from place to place."

Those precautions extend to health-care workers as well.

Fitzgerald said the association is asking the province to allow virtual care to limit patient contact with doctors and nurses.

"Virtual care, including care over the phone, [or] care over video conferencing, are things that can be done very efficiently and effectively," Fitzgerald said.

"We need to make sure that the people taking care of the sick don't get sick themselves, so that they can continue to take care of the next sick person."

Keeping workers well

Jerry Earle, the head of the largest public sector union in the province, said there are growing concerns about the health and safety of frontline health-care workers.

"Too many workers lack the proper personal protective equipment, supplies, information, training, and protocols," Earle, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees, wrote in a letter to media Monday morning.

He said in an interview members are grappling with confusion and anxiety, and he worries the province isn't doing enough to ensure those essential products are delivered to people who need it in their workplaces.

"I spoke to a home-care worker yesterday. Her concern was that she couldn't locate sanitizing products" so she could disinfect supplies before heading to her next patient, Earle said.

"She had to buy it herself."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador