Ottawa area hospitals postpone non-urgent surgeries, procedures and programming

Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2020

This is a joint message from the Ottawa area hospitals: Bruyère, CHEO, Montfort, The Ottawa Hospital, The Royal, The University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Queensway Carleton Hospital.

OTTAWA – March 17, 2020 – As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve locally, Ottawa area hospitals are taking further action to ensure the health and safety of patients, families and our workforce. In-line with guidance from the Ontario Ministry of Health, hospitals in the Ottawa area are taking a planned approach to postpone non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and outpatient programming and clinics.

Hospitals are always here to care for patients, and are working together to find solutions to protect safety, while continuing to provide excellent care.

Surgeries, procedures, and outpatient programming and clinics to be postponed will be selected on a set of clear criteria to carefully consider the health-care needs of our patients while maintaining their safety. Hospital staff are in the process of notifying patients, so that they have all the information they need regarding their care.

Reducing activity in operating rooms and other areas of the hospital allows the hospitals to be ready to take on potential COVID-19 cases, as the situation continues to evolve. Hospitals in the Ottawa area are also stepping up their infection prevention and control to help reduce the possible spread of COVID-19.

For more information on each hospital's response to COVID-19 can be found on their websites:

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Media contacts:

CHEO: Paddy Moore, pmoore@cheo.on.ca

Bruyère: Jesse Cressman Dickinson, jcressmandickinson@bruyere.org

Montfort: Geneviève Picard, genevievepicard@montfort.on.ca

The Ottawa Hospital: Michaela Schreiter, mschreiter@toh.ca

The Royal: Karen Monaghan, karen.monaghan@theroyal.ca

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute: Leigh B. Morris, lmorris@ottawaheart.ca

Queensway Carleton Hospital: Ann Fuller, afuller@qch.on.ca

About CHEO

Based in Canada’s capital, CHEO is a globally renowned health institution with a mission to provide exceptional care and support to children, youth and their families. Opening our doors in 1974, we offer a full range of specialized pediatric care and services to children from eastern and northern Ontario, western Quebec and Nunavut. Our site is home to a hospital, a children’s treatment centre, a school, a research institute, and is affiliated with the University of Ottawa as an academic health science centre. Named Canada’s best health-care employer by Forbes in 2024 and 2025, we are home to more than 6,500 staff, clinicians, scientists and researchers, as well as volunteers – all of whom work together to help children and youth achieve their best lives.