EMERGENCY AND AFTER HOURS MEDICAL SERVICES FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA (2006)
Reports on North America’s aging population are widespread, identifying that the senior demographic is dominating population growth charts. Narrowing the focus, the same can be said for British Columbia. As a result, demands on medical services and facilities in this province are on the rise and demographic studies have proven this will continue for several years.
The demands placed on the medical services increase dramatically as we age, unfortunately the medical system has not kept up with the demand. As we age we tend to relocate to areas where medical professionals, services, and facilities are more accessible thus creating an additional demand on our health care system. Although the government is attempting to address shortages and waiting times, the need for increased access to after hour’s services/facilities throughout the province is imminent.
In some cases after hours facilities are in place to serve outlying communities but the hours of access are limited. After these hours of access when an emergency arises patients are often faced with travel to emergency rooms at area hospitals often involving significant travel. This places undue stress not only to the aging population but also on lower income families that do not have their own transportation to get to the larger metropolitan areas for emergency health service. Even after getting to these services they are then often faced with long waits in an emergency room due to the demand for service. Many BC communities are facing these examples.
This problem manifests itself in two distinct challenges, first and most importantly is the lack of these services. Secondly, is the fact that the actual lack of these services may deter a segment of the population from locating in rural areas. This results in greater pressure on available facilities in regional and urban centres. A community like Mackenzie with a population of 5200 has two family doctors and access to most emergency procedures is two hours away at the Prince George Regional Hospital.
Whether access to medical care is required for the young, the old, those living in the south, or those in the north it is clear that BC has not been able to keep up to the needs of the population. Our population will continue to locate in the south until such time as there are sufficient medical services and facilities to meet their needs locally. Medical services and facilities are a provincial problem that has to be addressed. The demand on current infrastructures will continue to grow until alternatives are in place.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the Provincial Government;
1. undertake an assessment of emergency/after hour’s medical services and facilities through the province of BC;
2. conduct an assessment in consultation with Regional Health Authorities and communities to determine what is available and what is lacking in terms of medical services for a particular area;
3. for the north and rural communities, work with communities and Regional Health Authorities to ensure that there are sufficient medical professionals, services and access to services to meet the needs of the population; and
4. work with local Health Authorities in an effort to reduce the strain on hospitals and emergency rooms by looking at triage services that could compliment existing after hour’s clinics.
Reports on North America’s aging population are widespread, identifying that the senior demographic is dominating population growth charts. Narrowing the focus, the same can be said for British Columbia. As a result, demands on medical services and facilities in this province are on the rise and demographic studies have proven this will continue for several years.
The demands placed on the medical services increase dramatically as we age, unfortunately the medical system has not kept up with the demand. As we age we tend to relocate to areas where medical professionals, services, and facilities are more accessible thus creating an additional demand on our health care system. Although the government is attempting to address shortages and waiting times, the need for increased access to after hour’s services/facilities throughout the province is imminent.
In some cases after hours facilities are in place to serve outlying communities but the hours of access are limited. After these hours of access when an emergency arises patients are often faced with travel to emergency rooms at area hospitals often involving significant travel. This places undue stress not only to the aging population but also on lower income families that do not have their own transportation to get to the larger metropolitan areas for emergency health service. Even after getting to these services they are then often faced with long waits in an emergency room due to the demand for service. Many BC communities are facing these examples.
This problem manifests itself in two distinct challenges, first and most importantly is the lack of these services. Secondly, is the fact that the actual lack of these services may deter a segment of the population from locating in rural areas. This results in greater pressure on available facilities in regional and urban centres. A community like Mackenzie with a population of 5200 has two family doctors and access to most emergency procedures is two hours away at the Prince George Regional Hospital.
Whether access to medical care is required for the young, the old, those living in the south, or those in the north it is clear that BC has not been able to keep up to the needs of the population. Our population will continue to locate in the south until such time as there are sufficient medical services and facilities to meet their needs locally. Medical services and facilities are a provincial problem that has to be addressed. The demand on current infrastructures will continue to grow until alternatives are in place.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the Provincial Government;
1. undertake an assessment of emergency/after hour’s medical services and facilities through the province of BC;
2. conduct an assessment in consultation with Regional Health Authorities and communities to determine what is available and what is lacking in terms of medical services for a particular area;
3. for the north and rural communities, work with communities and Regional Health Authorities to ensure that there are sufficient medical professionals, services and access to services to meet the needs of the population; and
4. work with local Health Authorities in an effort to reduce the strain on hospitals and emergency rooms by looking at triage services that could compliment existing after hour’s clinics.
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