Virtual ER Availability at Rufus Guinchard Health Centre
Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services is experiencing a temporary change of service at the Rufus Guinchard Health Centre in Port Saunders due to human resources challenges. On-site emergency services for this site will be supported through a Virtual ER physician on:
Sunday, May 5, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. until Monday, May 6, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
In case of emergency: Patients with a medical emergency who require an ambulance should call 911. Those who feel they have a serious or urgent medical problem should proceed to their nearest emergency department. If you are unsure if you should go to the emergency department, please call the 811 HealthLine.
When a Virtual ER is operating, residents can proceed to Rufus Guinchard Health Centre where there will be a health-care provider available to support patient care on-site and assist with virtual care. In many respects, a virtual ER operates the same as a traditional Emergency Room.
- A patient requiring emergency health services would present to the health centre.
- The patient will be seen and assessed by a registered nurse (RN) and/or nurse practitioner (NP).
- The patient will be assessed by a physician virtually and managed with the support of the team on the ground.
- As required, patients would be transported to the nearest hospital to further manage their needs.
811 HealthLine is available 24/7 to provide:
- medical advice (including virtual nurse practitioner appointments which can usually be accommodated within three days);
- health information; and
- support in a mental health crisis.
For more information, please visit: https://www.811healthline.ca/.
For the most up-to-date information on temporary service closures throughout the province, please visit: https://nlhealthservices.ca/find-health-care/updates/.
NL Health Services thanks the public for their understanding as we continue to focus on providing safe and quality care for people of the Port Saunders area.
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