When should you go to ER? Here’s what to know amid long wait times, closures

Emergency physicians across Canada discuss what patients should consider before seeking emergency care and why amid delays across the country.

A health-care staffing crisis and another wave of COVID-19 are pushing emergency departments across Canada to the brink, with wait times hitting new highs and several hospitals recently being forced to temporarily close their ERs.

The Canadian Press spoke with emergency physicians across the country who discussed what patients should consider before seeking emergency care and why, for some patients, the emergency room is still one of the only options available.

Despite the pressures facing hospitals, it’s critical no one feels dissuaded from visiting the emergency department when they need urgent medical attention, said Dr. Lucas Chartier, deputy medical director for the emergency department at Toronto’s University Health Network.

There is no all-encompassing guideline around when or when not to head to the ER, given each patient has their own unique considerations.

Generally, doctors say to seek emergency care in acute conditions, such as severe shortness of breath or serious uncontrollable bleeding. Minor aches and pains, or fever and sore throats, can often be directed to less-urgent care settings, doctors said.

The ER will treat the most pressing issues first, Chartier said, which means that “some patients who perceive their ailments to be significant may not be in relation to the other issues that we have to deal with, which leads to longer than expected wait times.”

“This is where having peoples’ understanding and comprehension and empathy is really important,” he said.

Dr. Tanya Munroe, the department head of emergency medicine for the northern zone in Nova Scotia Health, said schools could provide more effective health literacy education, so people can eventually feel more confident self-managing their conditions.