Province puts $23M toward opening 350 more care beds

Health Minister Gaétan Barrette had to pay a big price to avoid overcrowding in emergency rooms as Quebec heads toward flu season.

Barrette announced Friday an injection of $23.25 million to open 350 additional beds in Montreal and on the North and South Shores.

The places, mostly in the private sector, will allow emergency rooms to clear short-term beds for patients who have already been seen by a doctor but are still there because of a lack of room elsewhere at the hospital. He said he could not find additional places in other regions of Quebec.

The new spots will accept patients who need care that’s less intensive than that offered in a hospital.

Last year, Quebec added $100 million to develop 2,000 beds, or about $50,000 per bed. At the time, the government went through a call for bids, which it couldn’t do now because it lacked enough time.

The unit cost of the 350 additional places announced Friday climbed to $66,429, about 33-percent more expensive than those obtained a year ago.

The height of flu season is expected in about three weeks and is expected to last four to six weeks.

Barrette also announced Friday that hospitals must maintain a regular amount of personnel during the winter school break, when normally they operate with a reduced staff.