Be prepared to wait in E-R’s during the holidays
Posted Dec 21, 2011 09:38:50 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Many Urgent Care Centres and Doctor’s offices will be closed during the holidays. With that, emergency room wait times will longer than normal.
Rupinder Sahsi, the Medical Director for the E-R at Grand River Hospital tells 570 News that being proactive and preparing for the holiday season, can save you a long wait in the E-R.
“It’s a good idea to have an idea of where your nearest 24-Hour Pharmacy is, just in case you need prescriptions at a strange hour.”
Sahsi says that filling prescriptions tends to be an issue during the holiday season, and if you decide to come into the E-R to get a re-fill you may be waiting a long time.
He adds not to go to the E-R unless it’s an emergency, saying people are sorted on the severity of the issue not the time of arrival. If you do find yourself in the E-R during the Holiday season, be patient.
“While you are in the emergency department tempers tend to flare and people get a little excited. But we ask that you be calm, be courteous and be nice to the staff and realize that if we all work together we can get you through there as soon as we can.”
Sahsi says there are a few things you can do to ensure a quick and easy visit to the E-R if you must go.
“Make sure you remember to bring your OHIP card or any other medical information you require for your insurance. Bring a list of your medications or actually bring all of your medications in a bag, that will give us an opportunity to go through them in a little more detail.”
Sahsi adds that if your condition does not need to be treated right away, going to the E-R may not be the best idea, because you will be waiting a fair amount of time.
