A new service is being launched by the Moncton Hospital, to cut down on wait times in their emergency department.
The Moncton Hospital Emergency Department tackles long wait times https://t.co/ssdkNTE2mK
— Horizon Health (@HorizonHealthNB) July 5, 2016
Chief of Staff Dr. Serge Melanson says those suffering from non urgent ailments will be given the choice to either wait…or to have an appointment arranged for them for later that day, to be seen by another medical practioner.
“The best example would be a concerned parent bringing in a child at at around 9am, with a fever and an earache. Rather than having to wait in our emergency department, we’re going to contact that persons family doctor or a walk in clinic and make an appointment for them later on in the day, and send them home to rest, ” he says.
Non urgent patients often face wait time of of five to six hours or more in the emergency department.
“This initiative is geared towards the patients with the sore throats, the dental pains, and the earaches, and we’ll proactively organize a follow up appointment for them.”
A recent survey of around 300 patients from the waiting area in the Emergency Department, showed that most were unaware of alternate services for treatment, including after-hour clinics or Tele-Care 811.
Moncton Hospital is the first emergency department within Horizon to offer this service. It starts tomorrow.
Dr. Melanson says they plan to provide details with other hospitals of how the new service is working.
