The Canary in the Coal Mine: Emergency Department Wait Times

New data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows emergency departments are dealing with a record high number of visits, 16.1 million and climbing. And more numbers reveal the pressures that are leaving patients stuck in emergency departments for hours or days, putting them and health workers at risk.

In this episode, host Avis Favaro discusses the picture the data paints — with Dr. Fraser Mackay, an emergency physician and member of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians and Cheryl Chui, Director of Health System Analytics at CIHI. The problems aren’t just in how emergency departments are functioning, but in what’s happening beyond the department itself.

Canada has one of the lowest rates of hospital beds per population among OECD countries. And many of these beds are filled with patients waiting for discharge to other places.

The discussion looks at what’s driving the crisis and why solutions have been so difficult to implement.

Additional audio courtesy Global and CBC News.

This episode is available in English.

Episode transcripts can be found on our podcast web page.

Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

Say hello on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming releases with our monthly newsletter.

Vous préférez les balados français? Voyez le Balado d’information sur la santé au Canada.