Prompt attention for Alberta's children

Improving patient flow

Medical attention cannot come fast enough when a sick or injured child visits the emergency department.

At Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, many young patients waiting in the emergency department are seeing doctors sooner at a new ‘flow bed’ assessment area. Implemented in September 2009, these beds have helped the hospital reduce the time for most patients to see a physician by 15 minutes — a 15 per cent improvement.

Around 60 per cent of patients coming to the hospital’s emergency department are not seriously ill but do have ailments or injuries that require consultation with a physician. Without flow beds, these children and their families would have experienced longer waits.

Instead of spending time in emergency waiting rooms, they’re now being transferred to the flow bed area, located just inside the emergency department, and receiving prompt consultation with a physician. Then they can be admitted to hospital or be discharged with advice and/or instructions to follow up with a family doctor.

“We take the time to sort out patients’ needs right from the start, so now when sick children come to our department, there is a bed available for them,” says Dr. David Chaulk, the hospital’s deputy chief of emergency.

The flow bed area may have as many as 10 beds during busy periods in the emergency department. More than 60,000 patients visit the Alberta Children’s Hospital emergency department every year.

See video: www.albertahealthservices.ca/1293.asp

>> Read more about our Action On: Emergency initiatives.