Wait times decrease in emergency department

Health Sciences North said it has seen significant improvements in treatment times for Emergency Department (ED) care.

The latest figures indicate patients with minor conditions spend 4.6 hours in the ED, from the time they register to the time they leave the ED, a press release from the hospital said.

In July 2012, that number was at 5.9 hours.

Patients with more serious conditions are treated in 10.3 hours and that includes conducting diagnostic tests such as ultrasounds, receiving the results, and being treated by a physician.

That compares to 18.8 hours in July 2012.

“These results speak to the incredible efforts of our ED team to improve access to care for our patients,“ said Dr. Rob Lepage, HSN Medical Director of the Emergency Department and an ED physician.

“We did a top-to-bottom review of how the ED works. We recruited more doctors. We have nurses working exclusively with patients arriving by ambulance and patients with mental health needs, and the results are starting to show.”

HSN’s ED times are now lower than some provincial averages. Wait times are calculated using a 90th percentile which is the maximum amount of time nine out of 10 patients spend in ED.

Most patients spend less time, while one out of ten patients will spend more time. This is the standard method of calculation used by hospitals and the provincial government.

“The results are encouraging,” added Dr. Lepage. “Our ED wait times compare very well to the provincial average, but we are not content with being an average ED. We want to continue improving. We want people from Sudbury who need emergency care to come to us and not risk travelling to another community.”

Treatment times have been steadily improving at HSN since the start of the year.

Patients arriving in the ED by ambulance are waiting 16 minutes to be transferred to HSN’s care, less than half of the current provincial mark of 37 minutes. The wait time at HSN for an inpatient bed is 15.8 hours, compared to a provincial average of 19.4 hours.

“The significant improvements in our ED treatment times is a testament to the hard work being done throughout the institution to improve access to care,” said Dr. Chris Bourdon, HSN’s Chief of Staff and an Emergency Department physician.

“HSN staff at our outpatient clinics have done an excellent job of providing other treatment options for patients. Also, we are working closely with community physicians and partners like the CCAC to improve patient flow from the ED.”