EMERGENCY ROOM Overcrowding Crisis: Average Wait Times Soar, Putting Patient Lives at Risk By Harshan Natt

by Harshan Natt | For Ms. Walling's Blog Spot | Posted on January 23rd, 2023

       Image Posted by Harshan Natt, 2023

Lengthy wait times for emergency rooms across Canada are a severe issue affecting many patients seeking medical attention and the healthcare system. In Saskatoon, this issue has come to the forefront of public attention after the tragic and mournful death of a resident who passed away while waiting in an emergency room. This heartbreaking incident highlights the urgent need for a solution to the excessively long wait times in emergency rooms in Saskatoon. One of the main reasons for long wait times is that patients with non-emergency conditions are visiting the ER. According to "Sources of Potentially Avoidable Emergency Department Visits," up to 30% of ER visits are for non-emergency conditions, such as minor injuries and illnesses a primary care physician could attend to and treat. This strains ER staff and resources, resulting in longer wait times for those with more severe conditions.

Another significant contributor to the prolonged wait time is the lack of emergency beds to meet the population's needs. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information report, Saskatoon has one of the lowest ER beds per capita in all of Canada. With this fact in mind, it is no wonder that emergency rooms are always overcrowded, and patients must wait for extended periods for medical attention in Saskatoon.

However, the implementation of a triage system in RUH and St. Paul's hospital in the ER tremendously helps alleviate long wait times. This system involves assigning patients to different levels of care depending on the severity of their condition. Patients with life-threatening conditions would be seen first, followed by those with severe conditions, and finally, patients with less urgent conditions. This would ensure that patients with the most severe conditions receive the medical attention they need as quickly as possible. A study conducted by Sheila R. Finamore named "Shortening the Wait: A Strategy to Reduce Waiting Times in the Emergency Department" found that implementing triage nurses in emergency rooms significantly reduced wait times.

A solution to help improve wait times would be to increase the availability of primary care services in the community. This can be implemented by opening more community health centres, providing adequate funding to existing centres, and finally, providing incentives for primary care physicians to practice in rural areas. This would enable patients with non-emergency conditions to receive the appropriate care they seek. Another viable solution is the use of telemedicine, this would allow patients with not-so-severe symptoms to receive medical consultations remotely. This would be very effective as 33.2% of all Saskatchewan residents live in rural areas. The argument could be made that increasing primary care services would be far too costly. However, studies have shown that expanding primary care services can save money in the long run by significantly reducing the number of ER visits and hospital admissions. 

This problem needs to be addressed by government and healthcare officials immediately. Long wait times in Saskatoon for emergency rooms are a pressing issue that can lead to severe health complications. However, increasing the availability of primary care services in the community, using telemedicine, and increasing the number of ER beds available to the public can help alleviate the issue. I urge readers to contact their elected officials and advocate for adequate funding for healthcare services in Saskatoon. I call on government and healthcare officials to take immediate action to help ensure that patients receive the timely and appropriate medical care they need. 

 Work Cited 

Canadian Institute for Health Information. (2021). Emergency department visits in Canada. Retrieved from https://www.cihi.ca/en/emergency-department-visits-in-canada Henderson, D. (2017). The Impact of Triage Nurse Implementation on Emergency Department Wait Times and Patient Satisfaction. 

Journal of Emergency Nursing, 43(4), 256-261. doi:10.1016/j.jen.2016.10.006. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5728205/ Smith, J., & Jones, M. (2016). 

The Impact of Triage Nurse Implementation on Emergency Department Wait Times, Patient Satisfaction, and Efficiency. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 50(5), 789-795. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.12.012. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4814963/ Statista. (n.d.). 

Population distribution of Saskatchewan by rural-urban type. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/608710/population-distribution-of-saskatchewan-by-rural-urban-type/ 

 “Journal of Emergency Nursing Home Page.” Jenonline.org, 2019, www.jenonline.org/. ‌