Nearly 15% of ER Visits Could Be Managed by Family Doctors

 

Nearly one in seven patients with conditions treatable in primary care rely on emergency rooms instead, due to factors such as the lack of a regular health provider, perceptions of faster service, and difficulty getting timely family doctor appointments, according to a new report.

Roughly 1.2 million visits to the emergency department in Canada each year are for primary care conditions, and more than half of them could be managed through virtual services, according to a Dec. 5 report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Children, people without access to family doctors or walk-in clinics, and residents of remote or rural areas are the most likely to use emergency services for non-urgent cases.

The most common primary care reasons for emergency room (ER) visits include antibiotic prescriptions, colds, sore throats, ear infections and prescription refills.

In general, nearly 75 percent of Canadian adults reported difficulty getting a same-day or next-day appointment with a doctor or nurse, and a similar proportion said they have difficulty accessing care after hours, according to the report. In addition, 17 percent said they don’t have a regular health care provider.

The report is based on data collected from six provinces, including Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon between April 2023 and March 2024.

Nearly 15% of ER Visits Could Be Managed by Family Doctors