NANAIMO — Estimated wait times at several Island emergency care facilities are now available online.
Island Health has launched a new page on their website which provides regularly updated estimates of wait times at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and other Island hospital emergency departments.
Thirteen facilities are included in the new data, which was only previously available at the facility itself.
“It’s important for people to be able to easily find and understand the different care options that are available to them, so they can make the best choice for themselves or a loved one,” Marko Peljhan, Island Health’s vice-president for acute clinical operations, said in a statement.
The wait times are calculated using intake data from hospital admissions over an eight-week period to estimate and predict patient volumes.
Island Health states “nine out of 10 patients” should be seen by a doctor within the stated wait time, however, patients are seen on a priority basis based on their condition on arrival to the hospital.
“How long can I expect to wait’ is one of the most common questions we hear from people in our emergency departments,” Dr. Ben Williams, Island Health’s chief medical officer, added. “I believe this new resource will support frontline staff and physicians in focusing on providing the best care possible, while empowering people to make informed choices about the care options available to them.”
Additional information about hospital wait times comes weeks after the opening of a second Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC) in Nanaimo, on Norwell Dr. behind Country Club Centre.
The UPCC at Port Place Shopping Centre remains open to patients on the mid-Island, as do community clinics in both Parksville and Ladysmith.
Another UPCC is scheduled to open in the Cowichan Valley later this year, according to Island Health.
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