News & stories

Waterloo Regional Health Network, in consultation with Region of Waterloo Public Health, has declared the COVID-19 outbreak on 1FS and 1F PICA, part of the adult inpatient mental health unit, over.

In 2020, not only was Waterloo Regional Health Network able to reduce wait times in our emergency department compared to 2019, we also ranked better than the Ontario average on every measurement. In our ED, patients are provided with the care they need faster. For some, that means going home earlier – and for those who need to stay in hospital, they are moved to an inpatient bed sooner, thanks to the efforts of our emergency department and inpatient teams.

The Accelerator Centre (AC) and Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) are pleased to announce the launch of a new, collaborative program aimed at improving patient care, and helping Canadian-made medical solutions test and enhance their technologies in partnership with the health system.

It was the middle of the night in February 2021 when 29 year-old Abdullahi knew something was very wrong. Sick with a cough, headache and fever from previously diagnosed COVID, he began experiencing numbness in his left hand and arm. By the time he woke the next morning, the numbness had spread to the left side of his body. Read Abdullahi's story here.

In partnership with Region of Waterloo Public Health, WRHN has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 on its adult inpatient mental health unit (1FSouth and 1F psychiatric intensive care) with four patients and no staff impacted. We are also investigating a potential outbreak on 1FNorth.

Thanks to a partnership between the Region of Waterloo, Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) and the Waterloo Regional Health Network COVID-19 vaccination site, Indigenous community members in Waterloo Region can choose to receive their vaccine from an Indigenous immunizer in a culturally safe space, with traditional practice and medicines available for support. Click here to read more.

At Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), a community hospital in Kitchener, Ontario, we worked with the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) to identify that we could effectively reduce rates of opioid prescription for our general surgery patients, without compromising their pain management.

June is officially upon us and Waterloo Regional Health Network is once again proud to recognize the LGBTQ2+ community and show our support for our team members, patients, volunteers, and our community during Pride month.

On May 31, Waterloo Regional Health Network lowered the flags at its campuses to mourn the deaths of 215 children found buried at Kamloops Indian Residential School on Friday, and for many other children, families, and communities who were victims of the residential school system. The flags will remain lowered for 215 hours – 9 days – in honour of each life.