Campaign to reduce wait times at Moncton ER not working

A new campaign at the MonctonHospital aimed at reducing the wait times in the emergency department isn't producing the results doctors expected.

Dr. Serge Melanson, the MonctonHospital chief of staff and an emergency room physician, was hoping a new interactive website would reduce emergency roomvisits by about a quarter, or by 12,000 to 14,000 a year.

"Unfortunately, we haven't seen any significant impact yet," Melanson said of the campaign that began in April 2017.

• Moncton Hospital launches campaign to improve ER wait times

"Based on our statistics we have estimated anywhere from 20 to 25 per cent of patients coming to our department ...could be seen in an area outside the ER department," Melanson said.

Myths about health care

The website has had about 6,000 visits.

"Although our statsoverall haven't changed from this year, compared to last, the traffic itself on the site would suggest that it is a tool that's being heavily used," Melanson said.

He is hopeful that more education and awareness will redirect would-be emergencyroom patients to after-hours clinics, pharmacies and family doctors.

He said the website is debunking many of the "myths and misconceptions" around health care services.

"For example, some people are under the impression that by going to an after-hours clinic you have to have a family doctor that's affiliated with that clinic and that's not the case at all people are free to go to any clinic they choose."

Melanson said another myth is that only certain family doctors have access to advanced diagnostic imaging such as MRIs.

"So our website goes a long way at breaking down some of these myths and helping people understand that all of this care could be accessed through either their family doctor, after-hours clinic and in some instances pharmacists as well."

Mental health information

Melansonsaid the website,Why Wait?, continues to be improved. He hopes a new section for people with mental health problems will be added soon.

"It's not uncommon to see a dozen or so patients per day arriving amongthe many that we see primarily with mental health issues," he said.

The hospital is working on projects to promote services available to themin the community, so they won't have to wait several hours in the emergency room.

Andwith the cold and flu season in full swing, Melanson is reminding people that it is usually not the type of illness that requires a visit to the emergency room.

Historically, our communities in this province have relied very heavily on the ER departments for health care and we just need to change people's thinking a bit.- Serge Melanson, MonctonHospital

"Unless people have many other medical conditions and are frail, for example,influenza, colds, things like this can easily be seen at their own family doctors offices or in an after-hours clinic or in some cases perhaps even their pharmacist."

Shorter waits, better care

Melanson said the problem won't be solved overnight.

"Historically, our communities in this province have relied very heavily on the ERdepartments for health care and we just need to change people's thinking a bit," he said.

"We need to get that 20 per cent of people to reconsider before they get into their automobile and drive to the ER departmentthat there are other options."

He said reducing the number of people in the emergency room would not only reduce wait times but also improve patient care.

"It would also give the staff in the ERdepartmentan opportunity to be caring for those who are sick in a more timely fashionbecause when we're dealing with many, many people to care for it's difficult to split yourself to many tasks."