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NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM GEORGETOWN HOSPITAL 2006/07 Georgetown Hospital Foundation Board of Directors How to Get Emergency Medical Care this Holiday Season If you have an emergency this holiday season, go to the Emergency Department. With Flu Season upon us, the Emergency Department is particularly busy, so you may have to wait. Patients are seen by a doctor in order of their need, not their time of arrival. Please be patient. Know when it's an Emergency Doctor's offices often have reduced hours during the holidays and Emergency Departments are always extra busy at this time of the year. Sometimes it is difficult to know whether your problem is serious or not. Here are just a few* examples of when you require emergency medical care - and should go to an Emergency Department. · when you are experiencing pains or tightness in the chest · when you have severe pain · when you have shortness of breath · when a person is choking or having difficulty breathing · when you think you may have fractured or broken a bone, or have a wound that may need stitches · when you have sudden, severe headaches, vision problems, sudden weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the face, arm, or leg, trouble speaking or dizziness · if your child has diarrhea and vomiting and won't eat or drink · when a baby under six months has a fever over 38.5 degrees Celsius or 101 degrees Fahrenheit *If you have any doubts, call 911. The ambulance will take you to the appropriate Emergency Department. Front row (l-r) Shelley Phipps, Paul Armstrong (Chair), Laurent Thibault (Vice Chair), Graeme Goebelle (Treasurer) Back row (l-r) Cindy McDonell, Shirley Chaplin, Herma Buchanan, John McNally, Pam Kilmer, Fred Helson, Ann Lawlor Thank you! Our thanks to everyone who has participated in the Georgetown Hospital Foundation Holiday Appeal this year. Make sure you stop by the lobby to see the display that has been created with the cards full of holiday wishes. It is so nice to be able to share the kind thoughts and good wishes that we received with everyone who visits our Hospital. Donations and cards continue to be accepted by the Foundation office. All gifts are important for the medical equipment our hospital needs and the holiday wishes bring cheer and hope to people who are in the hospital during the holidays. Any gift put in the mail by December 31st will receive a 2006 tax receipt. Best wishes to you and yours for a happy holiday season and a healthy 2007. Volunteering at Georgetown Hospital Looking for a new challenge in the New Year? Have you ever considered volunteering at your community hospital? The Georgetown Hospital Volunteer Association has a variety of volunteer opportunities available for men, women and youth 14 years of age and up. Hospital volunteers touch the lives of our patients and visitors by helping them throughout the hospital. A number of hospital programs and services benefit from the time, talents and energy shared by our volunteer teams working in both direct patient care and behind the scenes. If you are interested in joining our team, please call the Georgetown Hospital Volunteer Association at 905-873-0111, extension 8153, or check out our web site at www.haltonhealthcare.com. Call Telehealth Ontario Telehealth Ontario gives you immediate and free access to a Registered Nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means quick, easy access to a qualified health professional, who can assess the seriousness of your symptoms and help you decide what to do. 1-866-797-0000 TTY: 1-866-797-0007 If you are advised to come to the hospital Emergency Department, you will be re-assessed by the Triage nurse in our Emergency Department upon arrival to determine the urgency of your condition. Hospital Visiting Guidelines Patient care is our primary concern at Halton Healthcare. Specific visiting hours have been established for each patient care unit. Please check ahead for visiting hours or check our web site, www.haltonhealthcare.com. The holiday season is also the flu season. Please do not visit patients in the hospital if you are feverish, have a sore throat, have a cold, the flu or any other contagious illness. Washing your hands is one of the best defences against disease. We encourage everyone to wash their hands, upon their arrival and departure, at the convenient handwashing stations located throughout the hospital. Georgetown Hospital 1 Princess Anne Drive Georgetown, Ontario L7G 2B8 Milton District Hospital 30 Derry Road East Milton, Ontario L9T 2X5 Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital 327 Reynolds Street Oakville, Ontario L6J 3L7 www.haltonhealthcare.com