Our Commitment to Timely Emergency Care
2024-08-24
At Cornwall Community Hospital
(CCH), we recognize that Emergency Department wait times are a concern for many
in our community. When you or a loved one is sick or injured and in need of
emergency care, the expectation is a prompt assessment by a physician.
According
to recent data released by Health Quality Ontario, here’s how we measure up:
· On average, patients at CCH wait 2.2 hours to be
assessed by a doctor in our Emergency Department. This is just slightly above
the provincial average of 2 hours.
· For low-urgency cases not requiring hospital
admission, the average length of stay is 3.7 hours, with 63% of patients
completing their visit within the provincial target time of 4 hours (the
provincial average is 3.1 hours).
· For higher-urgency cases that do not result in
admission, patients spend an average of 4.5 hours in our Emergency Department,
with 90% of these visits completed within the provincial target time of 8 hours
(the provincial average is 4.6 hours).
· When admission to the hospital is necessary, the
average length of stay in the Emergency Department is 7.5 hours, with 70% of
patients admitted within the provincial 8-hour target (the provincial average
is 19 hours).
· We’re proud to rank 11th out of
75 hospitals in Ontario for the speed of patient transfers from ambulances to
our Emergency Department.
These figures show that our wait
times are on par or better than the provincial averages in Ontario. However, we
recognize that wait times can still be long, and we remain dedicated to ongoing
improvements in this area.
When you or a loved one arrives
at the Emergency Department, our team uses the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale
to prioritize care. Each patient receives an acuity score, allowing us to focus
on those needing urgent attention first. Depending on the severity of your
condition, the number of patients, and staff availability, wait times can vary.
Guided by our 2022-2027 Strategic
Plan’s focus on Enhancing Access to Care, we are actively working to reduce the
time it takes for patients to receive an initial assessment from a physician.
This is a critical first step in ensuring timely care, and it’s an area where
we are dedicating significant resources.
We are also exploring innovative
models for delivering non-urgent care. Not every case that comes to the
Emergency Department requires emergency care, and we’re considering new
approaches to handle these cases more efficiently, potentially reducing wait times
for everyone.
Despite some staffing challenges
in the Emergency Department last year, our dedicated team worked tirelessly to
provide the best possible care. Now, with a fully supported and well staffed
department, we’re even better equipped to serve our community.
At CCH, we take pride in offering
comprehensive care within a single, consolidated facility, enabling thorough
assessments and on-site diagnostic tests. While this approach may sometimes
extend your time with us, it ensures you receive the best possible care without
needing to be referred elsewhere.
We encourage everyone visiting
our Emergency Department to be patient and respectful with our staff. The
department sees about 150 patients daily, and our team works diligently to
ensure everyone receives timely care based on their needs. Lately the
department has been seeing higher patient volumes.
Health811 is also available 24/7
to offer free, secure, and confidential health advice and can guide you to
virtual urgent care services if an in-person visit isn’t necessary. Visit
Health811 at https://health811.ontario.ca
or call 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007). For emergencies, call 9-1-1.