KIRKLAND LAKE - A clock showing emergency room wait times won't solve the physician shortage in the Kirkland Lake area, but it will help patients make informed decisions, says Blanche River Health's top staffer.
Blanche River Health (BRH) has launched a $40,000 fundraising campaign for emergency room waiting clock systems at its Kirkland Lake and Englehart sites.
BRH president and CEO Jorge VanSlyke describes the waiting clock system as a tool to give patients more autonomy and transparency.
“The ER clock is not a new thing. It’s been trialled at many different hospitals, particularly larger ones in the south, and it’s really about giving people more control over their healthcare decisions,” she said.
The system will provide patients with real-time data on estimated wait times based on historical trends and the current number of patients in the emergency room.
“The clock updates automatically every five to 15 minutes. It pulls data from our electronic health records, so there’s no need for manual input from our staff. If, for instance, an ambulance arrives with a high-acuity case, the predicted wait time will automatically adjust,” VanSlyke said.
While the system will not reduce wait times, she said it will predict and display estimated times for patients to see a physician.
“This is really designed for those less acute cases where people may want to know if it’s a good time to go to the ER for something like a prescription refill or a minor concern,” VanSlyke said.
“If it’s a true emergency, patients should still come in immediately or call 911.”
Despite its advantages, VanSlyke cautioned that the system is not perfect.
“The clock is not 100 per cent accurate because emergencies are unpredictable. It’s based on estimates, so the predicted wait time could jump from two hours to 12 hours depending on the patients coming in.”
To kick-start the fundraiser, $10,000 from a $35,000 donation by a former Kirkland Lake resident has been allocated, leaving $30,000 still to be raised.
Since the announcement of the initiative, donations have been “trickling in,” VanSlyke said.
“It hasn’t been a big movement, but we’ll see how things progress over the next few weeks,” she said.
Once the $40,000 goal is met, the clock system could be implemented within one to two months.
“The equipment needed is minimal, just a TV in each ER and the rest is all online,” VanSlyke said.
VanSlyke said the community feedback has been more focused on the long wait times rather than the clock itself.
“People are frustrated with the shortage of physicians, but it’s important to note that this tool isn’t going to fix the root cause of the wait times. It’s simply a guide to help patients make informed decisions,” she said.
Since starting her position in April 2023, VanSlyke noted that they’ve added three new physicians.
“Which is great progress, but we still need three or four more,” she said.
“Recruitment is a huge challenge, not just for us but for many communities in Ontario. Until we can bring in more healthcare providers, tools like the ER clock are ways we can offer some transparency and control to our patients.”
Earlier this year, BRH launched a $2,000 community incentive program to encourage people to refer healthcare professionals for hard-to-fill positions.
“Because of that initiative, we’ve had conversations with potential candidates for two hard-to-recruit positions, so it’s showing results,” she said.
SEE: Northern Ontario hospital offering $2K referral bonus for hard-to-fill jobs
VanSlyke acknowledged that while the ER clock won’t solve all the issues facing the healthcare system, it’s a step in the right direction.
“It’s one of those low-hanging fruits that we can actually do something about while we continue to work on the larger challenges. It’s not a fix-all, but it’s a tool that we hope will help improve the patient experience,” she said.
Donations can be made online here or by bringing a cheque to Blanche River Health Foundation at 145 Government Road E., in Kirkland Lake.
