The Holiday Inn Drive COVID-19 Assessment Centre will permanently close its doors Friday as the service shifts to a regional responsibility at the reopened Pinebush clinic.
The assessment centre had seen numerous temporary closures over the last 18 months as staff from Cambridge Memorial Hospital were reassigned to aid in the nursing shortage at the hospital where ER wait times, and appointment and surgery cancellations were growing.
The hospital is happy those staff members returning for good, said Stephan Beckhoff, manager of communications for CMH.
PCR testing will now take place at the Region of Waterloo’s recently reopened clinic at 66 Pinebush Rd.
The doors opened at the former Rona building Monday as a clinic for administering the new COVID-19 bivalent booster for adults 18 and older.
The new clinic will eliminate any need for travel between the two sites and become a singular location for all things COVID related.
“I think it is a great opportunity to consolidate COVID resources. It will make the process that much easier for people seeking assessment, treatment and vaccinations,” said Beckhoff.
The regional clinic will be managed by Grand River Hospital and supported by all regional hospital partners. This is an effort by the region to assist local hospitals and help return staff where they are needed most.
“This is one strategy that we can implement to improve capacity challenges at local hospitals, and enable hospital teams to focus on providing acute care for our community and increase access to that care,” says Vickie Murray, integrated director of pharmacy services at Grand River and St. Mary’s hospitals.
CMH staff will be returning and give the hospital much needed backup after a rough few months with staffing shortages.
As of October 1, the Pinebush location will be taking in patients for both booster shots and COVID testing. These will be by appointment only.
