It won’t be long before the public will be able to go online and determine which ER department has the shortest wait times in the region.
The province is soon going to require all hospitals to post their ER wait times.
Hanover Hospital Vice President of Patient Care Esther Millar admits it may be a bit of a mixed blessing.
On one hand Millar says it provides patients with valuable information, but on the other hand it could very well result in an increase in wait time and work load.
The Hanover and District Hospital currently boasts E-R wait times that are well below the provincial average — at between one and two hours.
The provincial average is four to eight hours.
Millar says their staff now expects the number of E-R visits from non Hanover residents will significantly jump when the website starts.
Millar notes it’s already common to find patients that travel from as far away a Kitchener to use Hanover’s E-R.
Millar is worried if this trend continues — it will put an extra strain on the Emergency Department and its staff.
