30,000 went to Vancouver Coastal Health ERs over the holidays last year. A third of them didn't need to.
CTV
Emergency rooms typically see a higher volume of patients during the holiday season. This year, Vancouver Coastal Health hopes to lessen that increase by ensuring residents with non-life-threatening conditions know their other options for accessing the care they need.
Emergency rooms typically see a higher volume of patients during the holiday season. This year, Vancouver Coastal Health hopes to lessen that increase by ensuring residents with non-life-threatening conditions know their other options for accessing the care they need.
The health authority's Winter Care campaign aims to raise awareness about the resources available for those who find themselves in need of health care at Christmas time and throughout the year.
In 2020, emergency departments in Vancouver Coastal Health received more than 30,000 visits during the holiday season, according to a news release from the health authority.
Of those, more than a third were categorized as "non-urgent or low acuity," VCH said.
Dr. Kendall Ho is a professor at UBC's Faculty of Medicine and an associate staff member for Vancouver General Hospital's emergency room. He said one of the main reasons for the annual surge in ER visits is closures and limited hours at family doctors' offices and walk-in clinics during the holiday season.
Ho said emergency room doctors expect a higher volume of patients in December, but not every patient they end up seeing needs to come to the ER.
He recommended people familiarize themselves with the holiday hours at their family doctor's office or local clinic, as well as the location of the nearest urgent and primary care centre.
