UHWI urges public to seek alternative care as emergency services overwhelmed

Jamaica’s primary regional referral facility, the 579-bed University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), is urging the public to seek alternative care as a massive patient influx has overwhelmed its emergency services.

The hospital, in a release on Wednesday, advised the public that it is “currently experiencing patient volumes beyond its normal capacity”.

The hospital cautioned that patients presenting to the St Andrew based institution “should expect longer than usual waiting times, particularly those with conditions assessed as less urgent. Patients will continue to be prioritised based on the severity of their condition, with the most critically ill receiving immediate attention.”

A&E departments typically operate under a triage system – a structured, medical process, which allows healthcare professionals to quickly identify critically ill or injured patients who need immediate, life-saving care.

Gleaner sources say the situation at UHWI is also compounded by the number of very sick people who need admission to hospital amid limited ward space.

Efforts to reach the hospital’s management have so far been unsuccessful.

The hospital treats as emergency cases persons with severe trauma such as motor vehicle crashes or violent crime, those experiencing symptoms of a heart attack or a stroke, acute respiratory distress and surgical emergencies.

The UHWI, in its release, maintained that the A&E department remains operational and the hospital’s medical, nursing and support teams are continuing to attend to patients requiring emergency care.

It also urged patients with non-emergency conditions to consider accessing their nearest health centre or primary care provider.

- Karen Madden

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