Georgian Bay General Hospital is launching a new tool that should help patients playing the watitng game.
Starting this week, the hospital will start displaying projected wait times in the emergency department (ED) via the hospital’s website in both official languages.
“GBGH has continued its important work over the last year to improve emergency department wait times,” hospital president and CEO Matthew Lawson said.
“The new ED wait-time clock aligns with our hospital’s commitment to be transparent with our community. It is also important for patients to understand what to expect when coming to the emergency department so they can be better prepared for their visit.”
And within the coming weeks, GBGH will take this commitment further by posting projected wait times on a screen in the emergency department waiting room so patients can refer to it while already there.
When viewing the wait times online, it shows two different categories of wait times. One for the main emergency department and another for the ‘green zone’, where patients are seen and treated for minor illnesses or injuries. Conditions that may be treated in the 'green zone' include minor abdominal pain (nausea, vomiting, flu), coughs, colds, fever, ear, nose, throat and eye problems, cuts that may need stitches, prains, strains, sports injuries and minor asthma attacks or allergic reactions.
The hospital plans to display the number of patients waiting who have not yet been seen by a physician along with how many are currently waiting after already having an initial assessment by a physician.
The hospital notes that this initiative was a significant priority for GBGH based on the following:
- Providing information to the public about the length of wait times to expect when visiting the ED can improve the patient experience.
- It is an opportunity to increase awareness among patients and families about fluctuations in ED volumes, wait times and the triage process (based on the severity of a patient’s condition and their type of injury/illness).
On the website, the public can also access a graph showing when the ED will be busiest over the next six hours (based on historical data from the previous 30 days); a list of alternative resources for minor illness; what to bring when coming to the ED and a reminder to call 911 in case of serious injury or illness.
“Please note, wait times can change suddenly and dramatically based on evolving patient health status and volume,” the hospital noted in a release.
The page can be viewed through the hospital’s website or directly by clicking here.
