St. Mary’s General Hospital

[UrbanWaterloo]

St. Mary’s General Hospital ER Seeing More Patients Sooner
McGuinty Government Helping Reduce ER Wait Times
January 31, 2011 | Link

Ontario is improving patient care at St. Mary’s General hospital by helping lower emergency room (ER) wait times.

Through the Pay-for-Results program, the province is ensuring that more patients are admitted or discharged within the provincial wait time targets and helping hospitals reduce the total time patients spend in the ER.

Ontario is providing St. Mary’s General hospital with $36,000 for treating more patients than last year within provincial targets. At St. Mary’s General hospital 84 per cent of patients are being seen within provincial targets while there has also been a 2 per cent reduction in the total time patients are spending in the ER since April 2008. This funding is in addition to the $23,200 that St. Mary’s General hospital has received to date for treating more patients within the provincial targets. Grand River Hospital will also be receiving $17,400 through the Pay-for-Results program.

Hospitals have been able to achieve these improvements by implementing initiatives such as:

• Expanding ER teams with additional nursing staff, bed flow coordinators, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants.
• Creating rapid assessment zones to expedite assessment and treatment.
• Working closely with inpatient staff to improve patient transfer processes from ER to inpatient units.
• Processes that improve bed turn-around times and discharges from inpatient beds for quicker ER patient transfers.

Reducing ER wait times is part of the government’s Open Ontario Plan to provide more access to health care services while improving quality and accountability for patients.

QUOTES

“St. Mary’s General Hospital has clearly shown itself to be a leader in taking innovative steps to provide timely, high quality emergency care for its patients. The Pay-for-Results program is encouraging new, ground-breaking approaches to improving patient care in the ER.”
-- John Milloy, MPP for Kitchener Centre

“Patients deserve quality care when sudden injury or illness takes them to the hospital ER. We continue to work with hospitals to ensure their ERs are running as efficiently as possible. Reducing ER wait times is an important component of our government's overall plan to deliver quality and timely health care services."
-- Leeanna Pendergast, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga

“Waterloo Region residents are getting in and out of St. Mary’s General Hospital’s emergency room more quickly, thanks to initiatives like Pay for Results. Our hospitals are working hard to bring wait times down and I want to congratulate them for making encouraging progress.”
-- Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

"We continue to see record numbers of patients in our emergency department. Improving our wait times in the 2nd quarter of the year despite this increased pressure speaks to the commitment and dedication of our staff and physicians, who are constantly seeking ways to create an improved patient experience at St. Mary's. With P4R funding, we can continue to strive to meet our vision of becoming the safest and most effective hospital in Canada."
-- Don Shilton, President, St. Mary’s General Hospital

“Dedicated doctors, nurses and hospital staff work diligently every day to provide timely access to emergency care. Health care providers across Waterloo Wellington work together so that local residents have access to an effective and efficient health care system that delivers improved health care results and a better patient experience.”
-- Bruce Lauckner, Interim CEO, Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network

QUICK FACTS

• Across the province, 85 per cent of all Ontario patients who visit emergency rooms are being seen within the provincial targets and there has been a 10 per cent reduction in length of stay.
• There are 71 emergency rooms participating in the Pay-for-Results program.
• The redeveloped Health Care Options web site is giving Ontarians a brand new way to access and learn about the many health care options – things like family health teams and nurse practitioner-led clinics – in their communities.

[IEFBR14]

ISTM that rather than slightly reducing wait times (2% in this instance) by making their ERs more efficient, hospitals need to literally think outside the box. For example they need to work with local doctors to establish walk-in clinics near those hospitals -- ideally "next door" -- that are open 24x7 and that can relieve their ERs from dealing with the vast majority of patients who don't belong in ER in the first place.

[Spokes]

ISTM that rather than slightly reducing wait times (2% in this instance) by making their ERs more efficient, hospitals need to literally think outside the box. For example they need to work with local doctors to establish walk-in clinics near those hospitals -- ideally "next door" -- that are open 24x7 and that can relieve their ERs from dealing with the vast majority of patients who don't belong in ER in the first place.

See that's the issue, many people who go to the ER don't need to, they need primary care physicians. That's where our true shortage is, family doctors. So whether it's clinics that house family doctors or what, there needs to be a solution. Hopefully the new medical school can help to get more doctors here in the Region.

[IEFBR14]

they need primary care physicians. That's where our true shortage is, family doctors.

The problem with people going to ERs after hours is widespread even in areas where there's no FP shortage. Even if you have an FP in Waterloo Region, their office hours are limited and they can't always see you the day you call. FPs, whether they operate as solo practitioners or as part of a multi-MD practice all refer their patients to after hours clinics. The problem is that if you think you may have an emergency situation you want to go to a hospital, not somewhere at the other end of town like the clinic in the plaza next to UW.


Walk-in clinics near hospitals address these sorts of issues because you go to the clinic and get triaged there quickly. In the relatively rare situations that you're real emergency the ER is right there. Otherwise take a seat and wait for a clinic FP (or nurse practitioner) without ever getting involved with the much higher cost hospital system.

[Spokes]

Ahh yes you make a good point, hadn't thought of the office hours issue

[UrbanWaterloo]

Winter Wonderland Annual Holiday Fundraiser 2012



St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation has partnered with Hacienda Sarria and GEMINI Models to launch the first Winter Wonderland Annual Holiday Fundraiser. This exclusive event, held at Hacienda Sarria (1254 Union Street, Kitchener) on November 8, will include fashion presentations from the region's top retailers, music, cocktails and gourmet hors d'oeuvres. St. Mary's Hospital will directly benefit from the extravagant Tree Auction held throughout the evening. Tickets | Website

Preview Night - November 6, 2012