A&E wait times ‘shorter’, says official

Wait times at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department have improved, a senior hospital official said Wednesday, boasting of efforts to address non-emergency cases and manage patient flow more effectively.

Director of Medical Services Dr Anthony Harris praised the hospital for better planning and organisation. But he noted that many elderly people were being dropped off at the hospital, putting pressure on its emergency services.

“[We] have been able to decrease the number of patients in the actual hospital, . . . effecting a significant number of discharges. This has allowed us to move those patients from the accident and emergency into the wards, significantly decompressing AED. We’ve also been able to, thank God, move a large number of patients, about ten to 12, into the geriatric service.  This has significantly helped us with our bed numbers and the room in the Accident and Emergency,” he said.

“[However], elderly for care remains the problem. That was 10 patients [out of the] 48 [that were in the AED]. We are continuing to work on this problem but we believe that we can get some measure of control of the situation. We do urge the public to bear with us and cooperate . . . and assist where they can and move their elderly folks when they are ready for discharge.”

Last week, QEH spokesman Shane Sealy told Barbados TODAY that to help ease overcrowding and ensure appropriate care, people were being encouraged to use the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS/Help Desk). He said this service, which operates a 15-hour shift, offered immediate and safe medical advice, categorising cases as emergent or non-emergent, and connecting callers to necessary healthcare providers such as the A&E, polyclinics, or general practitioners.

Sealy was quick to point out that while the A&E might see a large number of patients, its triage system ensures that urgent medical conditions receive immediate attention, maintaining the standard of patient care without compromise. (RG)