ED Wait Time Dashboard
The Emergency Department (ED) Wait Time Dashboard is designed to share information about the number of patients currently waiting to receive care in the department. The Dashboard does not predict how long your wait in the ED will be. The sickest patients are always treated first, therefore patients may not be treated in the order of arrival. When the ED is busy, patients with less urgent needs may be required to wait longer for care. Rest assured, we will provide care to all. We thank you for your patience.
ED Wait Time Dashboard FAQ
The purpose of the Dashboard is to share information with the community we serve on current patient volumes in the ED. The Dashboard is available in the ED Waiting Room as well as on our website. Information is updated regularly and includes:
- the average time patients are currently waiting to see a provider in the Northumberland Hills Hospital ED
- the number of patients waiting to see a provider
- the total number of patients waiting for an inpatient bed
- the total number of patients currently in the ED
- the typical wait times to see a provider (by hour)
Please note: the Dashboard does not predict the entire length of stay for any one individual, as this depends on the care required and/or tests a patient may need.
No, the sickest patients will be seen first.
Emergency Departments in Ontario triage patients using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) based on the severity of a patient’s condition rather than a first come, first served basis.
Depending on how you are triaged, your wait time may be shorter or longer than the overall average wait time estimate displayed on the dashboard.
Wait time = the AVERAGE time required to be triaged, registered, and assessed by a doctor or nurse practitioner. Note that this is not the entire length of an ED visit; individual wait times will vary based on personal needs as well as patient volume in the department not the entire length of an ED visit.
The number of patients currently in the ED who are waiting to be assessed by a provider.
The number of patients currently in the ED who have been admitted as an inpatient and are waiting for a bed to be available in an inpatient unit.
The total number of patients currently in the ED. This includes both emergency level patients and inpatients awaiting a bed.
This chart uses historical data to provide information on the average wait time to see a provider based on the hour of the day.