Introduction |
| The Champlain Emergency Serves Network (CESN) was created to offer direction and support to Emergency Services in the region. This network of expertise began meeting in the 1990's as the Ottawa Carleton Emergency Services Committee. Since 2007, the Network became one of the Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) communities of practice.
As anywhere in healthcare today, there are many outstanding issues to be addressed. Analysis of flow in the emergency department (ED) to determine delays and maximize efficiencies is necessary to improve ED access and eliminate paramedic off-load delays. Issues related to ED overcrowding and off-load delays are healthcare system wide and extend far beyond the boundaries of the Committee members. Lack of inpatient beds is a key factor.
Illustrations of these difficulties: EDs become mini ICUs and hold ventilated patients when there are no critical care beds, admitted patients encounter access delays to diagnostic or therapeutic services, ALC patients who could go to a nursing home or other appropriate care cannot as they wait days, weeks or months on a waiting list. The inability to transport a patient back to their local hospital or nursing home can also extend their hospital stay. It is an every day fact that ED beds are used to board admitted patients, blocking access for ambulance patients. Until these problems are resolved, any other solutions, although appreciated, are band-aides. It is encouraging that the Province has designated ED wait times as a priority. The CESN as a team with the Champlain LHIN, works to solve these issues to improve patient care and the efficiency of the healthcare system.
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