Canada: Policy for checking in patients, including average waiting time before patients are checked in at the emergency department of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario

The average waiting time for patients before they are checked into the Emergency Department at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Ontario could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. According to the St. Michael's Hospital website, waiting times may be prolonged depending on the number of persons seeking medical attention (n.d.).

In a 14 February 2008 telephone interview, St. Michael's Innercity Health Program Director provided information on check-in procedures at the hospital's emergency department. According to the Director, when an individual first arrives at St. Michael's emergency department, he or she is seen by a triage nurse "within minutes" (St. Michael's Hospital 14 Feb. 2008). The triage nurses in the emergency department use the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) to prioritize patient care (ibid.; see also CAEP n.d.). The CTAS has five levels (St. Michael's Hospital 14 Feb. 2008). Level 1 is the highest level and is for trauma patients or those with life-threatening conditions (ibid.). Level 1 patients do not stop at the triage desk; they go straight to the trauma centre (ibid.). Patients triaged at Level 2 generally arrive by ambulance and are also seen to quickly (e.g., heart attack victims) (ibid.). Level 3 is for patients with less serious conditions than Levels 1 or 2, but who still need to be seen to relatively quickly (e.g., for chest pains, which could be a heart attack, but could also be indigestion) (ibid.). Levels 4 and 5 are for less serious conditions, which could be seen to by a family doctor (e.g. Level 4: stitches; Level 5: a cold) (ibid.). Patients triaged into Levels 4 and 5 wait the longest to see a doctor (ibid.).

When a patient checks in with the triage nurse, the time is recorded in a computer (ibid.). After checking in with the triage nurse, the patient sees a clerk who helps them fill out a form and gives them a hospital card (ibid.). This form has the time recorded on it (ibid.). The patient sees the clerk "within minutes" after checking in with the triage nurse (ibid.).

Once checked in with the triage nurse and the clerk, a patient who has been triaged as Level 4 or Level 5 could wait "a while" until a doctor becomes available (ibid.). The amount of time an individual could wait depends on a variety of factors, such as the number of traumas and the number of ambulances arriving at the emergency department that day (ibid.).

In a 30 January 2008 telephone interview, a media relations representative of St. Michael's Hospital similarly indicated that those without serious injuries or illness could wait "a while" because the hospital is a trauma centre.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP). N.d. "Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS)." [Accessed 14 Feb. 2008]

St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. 14 February 2008. Telephone interview with the Innercity Health Program Director.
_____. 30 January 2008. Telephone interview with a media relations representative.
_____. N.d. "Programs & Services: Emergency Department Procedures." [Accessed 30 Jan. 2008]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Factiva, The Fraser Institute, Hospitalreportcards.ca, Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), Ontario Medical Association (OMA), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.