'Hot spot' program helping curb ER overuse by regulars

Long wait times and recurring patients are a problem seen in many emergency rooms across the country.
Saskatchewan's Ministry of Health and Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region (RQHR) say new "hot spotting" programs are aiming to change that.

"Hot spotting" identifies patients who regularly visit emergency rooms with medical problems that would be better served by other medical and community services within the hospital and outside of it.

"There are many people who are using acute care services, largely because they may not have other options or not know about other options," Health Minister Dustin Duncan said.

"We're looking at 'how do we provide better service to those individuals?'"

Repeat visitors to the emergency room often fall into several categories: patients who have chronic and long-term medical issues, patients suffering from mental health issues including addictions and patients in need of end-of-life or palliative care and those who may not have a family doctor.

The Health Quality Council indicates one per cent of patients account for 21 per cent of hospital costs.

"It is trying to be more cost effective with our dollars," said Duncan.

Teams include nurses and counsellors

In response, since January, 25 clients in Regina have been helped by multi-disciplinary teams, which includes a primary care nurse and a health care counsellor. They can direct patients, who have been identified as constant visitors to emergency rooms, to specific treatments, whether that be an addictions counsellor or medical equipment, to properly treat the problem.

"It's been overwhelmingly positive," said Jon Heathcote, a client wellness advocate for RQHR.

He said in his daily work with patients, manyhave been "very open to alternative means that they didn't even know were available."

A second pilot project is now underway in Saskatoon. It will focus on treating mental health and addictions issues.

Hot spottingprojects are part of the province's Connecting to Care program.$1.5 million has been allotted forthe program, which also tackles other issues such as emergency room waiting times and mental health and addictions programs.