Emergency departments in Oshawa, Ajax and Bowmanville now offer Wait Times Trackers

Patients will now be able to estimate their wait time in local emergency rooms, thanks to a new online ED Wait Times Tracker.

The new online tool provides patients with an approximate wait time to see a physician in any one of the four Lakeridge Health emergency departments which will, it is hoped, “improve the patient experience.”

The web-based tool is available on Lakeridge Health’s website, www.lh.ca. The data on the website will be refreshed every 15 minutes and is based on an estimate that is calculated using the last four hours of data.

“Pinpointing the exact amount of time a person will wait to see a doctor in the ED is complex,” said Dr. Michael Howlett, Chief of Emergency Department, Lakeridge Health. “While the ED Wait Times Tracker provides an approximate wait time based on an estimate, providing this information to people will help to ease some of the distress, discomfort, and anxiety that is associated with coming into a hospital.”

The time it takes for a patient to be seen by a physician in the ED is often impacted by staffing and the volume and acuity of patients. The sickest people, those who are experiencing life-threatening incidents or trauma or have been in serious accidents, are seen first.

“ED wait times continue to be a focus for many people in our community,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health. “Though our wait times remain longer than usual, I’m so grateful and proud of the tireless effort, compassion, and dedication shown by our Lakeridge Health teams. Despite tremendous pressures, our staff and physicians continue to work quickly and efficiently to provide care to all patients.”

Lakeridge Health’s four EDs are open 24/7 for all people in need of emergency medical care and the new ED Wait Times Tracker is part of the organization’s commitment to revitalize Lakeridge Health’s EDs and improve the patient experience.

“We are excited to launch this new, online tool that will enable patients to have a better understanding of their approximate time to see a physician in any one of Lakeridge Health’s four Emergency Departments,” said Dr. Ilan Lenga, Chief Information Officer, Lakeridge Health. “Many people have requested this service, and now we are able to deliver this new tool.”

For a list of Urgent Care options in Durham Region visit www.lh.ca.