Government Investment in QEII Provides Emergency Care Sooner

Nova Scotians are getting faster, better emergency care after improvements to the province's largest hospital.

Six months after opening a rapid assessment unit and new beds at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Capital Health is reporting improved care with almost 1,200 patients already benefitting.

"Making emergency care more efficient is a significant part of our commitment to providing Nova Scotians with better care sooner," said Health and Wellness Minister Maureen MacDonald. "I'm very pleased to see that our efforts are improving the flow of patients through the emergency and trauma centre, reducing bottlenecks and improving care for patients."

Patients from across the province are now diverted to a rapid assessment unit for faster access to a specialist. The number of surgical cancellations because of lack of intensive or intermediate care beds has been decreased by more than half.

Additional beds have also helped decrease the wait time by more than an hour for admitted patients waiting for general medicine beds.

"These projects have had a real, measurable impact on patient flow and experience at the QEII," said Sandra Janes, health services director for Emergency, Medicine and Geriatrics, Capital Health. "We continue to see more and more patients at the emergency and trauma centre, and without these additional resources, we would be facing significant overcrowding on a regular basis."

These improvements are part of government's Better Care Sooner plan, launched in December. Over the next three years, the plan will improve the quality of emergency care, reduce overcrowding and wait times for patients in emergency rooms, and provide better health care for families.

For more information go to www.gov.ns.ca/health/bettercaresooner.