Regina hospitals are sending a strong message to potential patients: do not come to the emergency department unless it’s an emergency.
Too many people are showing up in Regina emergency rooms when they should be heading to a walk-in clinic or their doctor’s office, health officials say.
It’s creating too much pressure on the system at a time when hospitals are already short-staffed.
“Most of these people are the people who are sitting in the chairs waiting because they have been triaged as not needing immediate care,” says Dr. David McCutcheon of the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. “They can be deferred. The issue for the department is that 15-20 per cent of the work they do every day could be done elsewhere.”
There are resources to help people determine whether or not they need to head to the emergency room. People can call the 811 health line or their doctor.
