The Scarborough General Hospital (SGH) has started to reach out to clinic patients via the telephone to deliver treatment and care. SGH clinics have been temporarily put on hold to reduce the flow of people through the institution, in order to decrease the risk of the spread of covid19 at the island’s only hospital.

All outpatient clinics and elective surgeries have been put hold. Ward reviews are also on hold, except for antenatal ward reviews for pregnant women, which will be done on Saturdays and Sundays. Only urgent cases for surgeries, ultrasound scans, CT scans, and X-rays will continue.

This situation will be reviewed for resumption of clinic operations, once the covid19 infection rates start to decline.

Dr Victor Wheeler, acting Medical Chief of Staff, said the authorities had to get creative so that health care can be delivered to those most in need. “Our aim is to find ways to continue meeting the needs of our most vulnerable. Some clinic patients will require greater attention and that will be determined upon review, but our clinicians will be reaching out to patients via the telephone to consult on a case-by-case basis.”

Telephone consultations with clinic patients will take place after the patient’s file has been reviewed and a determination has been made, whether the patient needs to be seen or a new prescription has to be issued. Prescriptions will then be issued at the hospital for collection and patients can access the hospital pharmacy. In the case of some prescriptions, the pharmacy will also be able to issue refills.

Dr Wheeler said, “Every effort is being made to reach out via the telephone to patients and if there are any issues, patients will be guided to go to casualty or visit their local health centres.”