Healthcare Stats - Ontario ER Wait Times

[Michael Hardner]

I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised with the Government of Ontario. I haven't looked for awhile, but it seems to me that somebody at the MOH is reading my blog !

ER Wait Times for GTA

We now have trend data on this chart - and I swear this wasn't there before.

The stats, however, are not good. Still, at least they're being honest about it.

Over the province, targets are NOT being met, however the situation isn't drastically worsening (or improving) over the past year.

[Mr.Canada]

One of the issues plaguing ER rooms is that there are far too many people who bring their child to the ER for non Emergency reasons thus clogging up the ER.

The hospital closest to me in Georgetown is a small hospital but so many Brampton people drive out to our little hospital because they don't want to wait in the Brampton one which also happens to be brand new.

The last two New Years babies born in Georgetown Hospital have been from people who were from outside of Halton. If people have access to a hospital where they live they should only be permitted to go that hospital or else pay a small service fee.

The funds given from the government are to towards serving the people of a specific region and once people from outside that region begin using another regions services they are drawing upon those funds not meant for them. Then that leaves less money for the people who actually live in the area and that is not fair.

So to help off set that imbalance some sort of service charge should be levied.

I think that some sort of service charge should be applied for people who visit hospitals outside where they live unless they had an accident in the area.

Speaking of service charges I believe that one should be applied to all people who use the ER with some exceptions. We simply cannot to continue to raise spending for health care forever and with an aging population the pressure put on our already exhausted system will only become greater and greater. Continuing to raise taxes forever isn't the answer either.

[Pogo]

One of the issues plaguing ER rooms is that there are far too many people who bring their child to the ER for non Emergency reasons thus clogging up the ER.

The hospital closest to me in Georgetown is a small hospital but so many Brampton people drive out to our little hospital because they don't want to wait in the Brampton one which also happens to be brand new.

The last two New Years babies born in Georgetown Hospital have been from people who were from outside of Halton. If people have access to a hospital where they live they should only be permitted to go that hospital or else pay a small service fee.

The funds given from the government are to towards serving the people of a specific region and once people from outside that region begin using another regions services they are drawing upon those funds not meant for them. Then that leaves less money for the people who actually live in the area and that is not fair.

So to help off set that imbalance some sort of service charge should be levied.

I think that some sort of service charge should be applied for people who visit hospitals outside where they live unless they had an accident in the area.

Speaking of service charges I believe that one should be applied to all people who use the ER with some exceptions. We simply cannot to continue to raise spending for health care forever and with an aging population the pressure put on our already exhausted system will only become greater and greater. Continuing to raise taxes forever isn't the answer either.

I know exactly what you're talking about as I live in Georgetown. It is really frustrating to see all the people from Brampton there causing huge wait times in the waiting room there. And as a result of this, many of the Georgetownians end up going to the Milton hospital instead to avoid insane wait times.

[Scotty]

I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised with the Government of Ontario. I haven't looked for awhile, but it seems to me that somebody at the MOH is reading my blog !

ER Wait Times for GTA

We now have trend data on this chart - and I swear this wasn't there before.

The stats, however, are not good. Still, at least they're being honest about it.

Over the province, targets are NOT being met, however the situation isn't drastically worsening (or improving) over the past year.

I have never understood the logistics or economics of long waits at hospital. It seems to met that if 500 people come to be treated and you treat 500 people then however long or short they wait doesn't help or cost the hospital anything. Also, either you're treating all 500 or your wait times will grow, day by day, week by week. So they have to be treating as many as come in. So why can't they treat them without making them wait for ten hours?

The only way I can see it as having any economic affect would be if a lot of those people who come in just go away after a while without being treated. But I don't see that as being necessarily good for our society. Those people will presumably have to be off work for longer periods of time, and maybe come back at another time or go somewhere else (which we also pay for) for treatment.

Edited March 5, 2011 by Scotty

[guyser]

I think that some sort of service charge should be applied for people who visit hospitals outside where they live unless they had an accident in the area.

I know exactly what you're talking about as I live in Georgetown. It is really frustrating to see all the people from Brampton there causing huge wait times in the waiting room there. And as a result of this, many of the Georgetownians end up going to the Milton hospital instead to avoid insane wait times

Yea man, so agree with you cool cats....but hey , lets not stop there.

Im sick of the bastards who site see and clog the 400 and 11 when I want to get to my cottage. Some of them have boats too and dont live on my lake, yet the docks get filled up and I have to wait, They should pay a service fee to use the 400 and 11 highways, but not me, I pay for a cottage.

And man , those arrogant pricks from out Halton Hills way who come downtown and take all the parking spaces or cause long line ups at the Hockey Hall of Fame.....man, service charge their asses right now!!

yea...sarcasm.......

[Mr.Canada]

I know exactly what you're talking about as I live in Georgetown. It is really frustrating to see all the people from Brampton there causing huge wait times in the waiting room there. And as a result of this, many of the Georgetownians end up going to the Milton hospital instead to avoid insane wait times.

You know what I'm talking about then.

[guyser]

I have never understood the logistics or economics of long waits at hospital. It seems to met that if 500 people come to be treated and you treat 500 people then however long or short they wait doesn't help or cost the hospital anything.

Sure it does, because if some of them are acutely sick, the attending physician cannot just leave but must find someone to hand off to.

Also, either you're treating all 500 or your wait times will grow, day by day, week by week. So they have to be treating as many as come in. So why can't they treat them without making them wait for ten hours?

FOr the same reason you have to wait for Rogers Cable/Shaw Cable/Hydro repairman/Bell repair/Gas man to show up. Please tell me they dont come to your house 5 minutes after your call?

You have X # of staff, reasonable for allocating to cover the workload. Ahh....but then the rains/trees fall/cable gets knocked out and everyone wants to be fixed. How long does that take to accomplish? Ten hours....?....Nope, 2 days? Nope. a week sometimes? Oh yeah.

Edited March 5, 2011 by guyser

[Michael Hardner]

You have X # of staff, reasonable for allocating to cover the workload.

Right.

Scotty's example would be easier to understand if you add variables for the # of patients arriving an hour, and average time to treat.

The more staff on hand, the shorter the wait times.

[Scotty]

Sure it does, because if some of them are acutely sick, the attending physician cannot just leave but must find someone to hand off to.

But he has to do that anyway, wait or not.

FOr the same reason you have to wait for Rogers Cable/Shaw Cable/Hydro repairman/Bell repair/Gas man to show up. Please tell me they dont come to your house 5 minutes after your call?

That's not an apt comparison. When I go to Rogers I wait very little time, or no time. People come in, and get taken care of all day long, generally without much waiting.

You have X # of staff, reasonable for allocating to cover the workload. Ahh....but then the rains/trees fall/cable gets knocked out and everyone wants to be fixed. How long does that take to accomplish? Ten hours....?....Nope, 2 days? Nope. a week sometimes? Oh yeah.

I think we can all understand that when a bus hits a train there's going to be a sudden, unexpected flood of injuries into the ER, causing our wait to be extended. However, on any given night I bet the ER knows exactly how many patients are going to be coming in, and probably has the stats to show what will be their likely complaints, and can allocate the resources to take care of them in a reasonable period of time. Other jurisdictions do so.

[Topaz]

I don't know about cities like Toronto, but it used to be that your family doctor had their offices open on the weekends for emergency. They don't do that now and especially with kids in the wintertime getting sick, I think they should do this and this would reduced the emergencies at the hospital or better yet, bring back house calls.

[Mr.Canada]

I don't know about cities like Toronto, but it used to be that your family doctor had their offices open on the weekends for emergency. They don't do that now and especially with kids in the wintertime getting sick, I think they should do this and this would reduced the emergencies at the hospital or better yet, bring back house calls.

This is a fine idea, about house calls.

I think a lot of people go to the ER when it isn't necessary. If the kid has the flu or a stomach ache or a head ache you don't need to go the bloody ER. That's the problem, people going to the ER for non emergency reasons.

[Shwa]

I don't know about cities like Toronto, but it used to be that your family doctor had their offices open on the weekends for emergency. They don't do that now and especially with kids in the wintertime getting sick, I think they should do this and this would reduced the emergencies at the hospital or better yet, bring back house calls.

Isn't that what the idea behind the options being developed for Ontario health care? Telehealth, etc.?

We have clinics nearby, several of them, that have urgent care on the main floor. These have also helped off-set emergency wait times. Even still, our local hospital is pretty much on provincial average for minor or uncomplicated conditions and about 50% higher for complicated conditions.

Edited March 6, 2011 by Shwa

[Wild Bill]

This is a fine idea, about house calls.

I think a lot of people go to the ER when it isn't necessary. If the kid has the flu or a stomach ache or a head ache you don't need to go the bloody ER. That's the problem, people going to the ER for non emergency reasons.

You're being a rock against the waves again, Mr. C! The world is the way it is and if you fight it you'll only get worn down.

Today parents are constantly told - "You're NOT a doctor! Don't take a chance! Bring your child to a medical professional! It could be the onset of meningitis or who knows what!"

So the old mother's intuition that it may just be a bit of flu is blown off as a "worthless and anecdotal" opinion.

Then we remove any other avenue to get a professional medical opinion BUT an ER! Everything else is always closed! Kids NEVER take sick during weekday office hours!

Even more, with the ER wait times, if parents DO put off an ER visit and their child's condition worsens when they do go to the ER they may have lost valuable time.

And in the back of every parent's mind is the knowledge that if they don't take their child's symptoms seriously enough and something one-in-a-thousand times terrible happened, the authorities and the media would crucify them!

So you have parental competence dismissed, avenues for medical service curtailed and penalties for not following the official 'system' increased. What's a father or mother supposed to do?

[wyly]

I have never understood the logistics or economics of long waits at hospital. It seems to met that if 500 people come to be treated and you treat 500 people then however long or short they wait doesn't help or cost the hospital anything. Also, either you're treating all 500 or your wait times will grow, day by day, week by week. So they have to be treating as many as come in. So why can't they treat them without making them wait for ten hours?

ER wait times vary, I've gone into an ER in the evening and it was so overwhelmed it was standing room only and there were many standing, then back at the same ER two days later in the afternoon and the place was empty...so how do does a hospital staff the ER? do you have surplus trauma MDs standing around doing nothing on slow days?...

what would help is more walk-in clinics open around the clock, the only option left in many instances is the ER when walk-ins are closed on evenings and weekends...