Hopefully this past long weekend, you didnB次元官网网址檛 find yourself like many people, sitting in an emergency department, watching the clock slowly tick away your holiday.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a situation many West Shore residents dread, without realizing there is an alternative.
Island Health statistics show an increasing number of patients in emergency rooms during statutory holiday weekends. The health authority states at least some of that increase is related to the fact many family physician offices are closed and some walk-in clinics arenB次元官网网址檛 open.
Krys Bateman, head medical office assistant at St. AnthonyB次元官网网址檚 Treatment Centre on Goldstream Avenue, said one of the most common misconceptions surrounding clinics is that they are closed on weekends and holidays.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 actually quite a few (walk-in clinics) open on long weekends,B次元官网网址� she said.
The Colwood Medical Treatment Centre, located on Sooke Road at Colwood Corners, also had its doors open this past long weekend. It only closes on Canada Day, Christmas Day, and New YearB次元官网网址檚 Day, although hours are dependent on physician availability.
St. AnthonyB次元官网网址檚 is open for walk-in patients every day except Dec. 25. Like the Colwood clinic, however, the clinicB次元官网网址檚 hours of operation can sometimes be limited due to doctor availability, Bateman said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檒l be crazy dead or crazy busy, thereB次元官网网址檚 no medium when it comes to long weekends,B次元官网网址� she said. While the average wait time is usually around 45 minutes, it can be longer due to patients requiring complex care, she added. B次元官网网址淲e do our best.B次元官网网址�
Typically Mondays and Fridays are busier for the clinic. Contributing to that, she says, are scenarios where people come home from a trip and realize theyB次元官网网址檙e not feeling well, or are perhaps getting children ready for a trip and not wanting something like a sore throat to get overlooked.
There has been a rise in foot traffic to clinics due to the diminishing number of general practitioners. The trend has seen many patients go without a family doctor, since a large number of GPs have retired without replacements to take over their practices.
Many, including Bateman, say this phenomenon has been growing for more than two years, and has caused a shift from them seeing more typical cases like sore throats and colds to more complex issues.
Bateman doesnB次元官网网址檛 like to see patients with ailments such as sore throats or earaches head to an ER simply because they donB次元官网网址檛 know thereB次元官网网址檚 an alternative option open.
B次元官网网址淚 feel for the emergency rooms that get overrun,B次元官网网址� she said.
If you need medical assistance but arenB次元官网网址檛 sure whether to go to an emergency department or a clinic, you can call Healthlink B.C. at 811 and talk to a registered nurse.
katie@goldstreamgazette.com
WhatB次元官网网址檚 the wait?
A pilot project by Vancouver Coastal Health has launched a website that monitors Vancouver, Richmond, and North Shore emergency department wait times, with the hope of expanding to the rest of the B.C.B次元官网网址檚 health regions. For more information please go to .
