Collingwood hospital launches scheduled ER visits for minor health concerns

Collingwood Marine and General Hospital in Collingwood, Ont. pictured on Fri. April 9, 2021 (Roger Klein/CTV News)

The Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) will launch a coughs, cold and minor injuries emergency department this week.

Hospital officials confirmed the pilot project would allow patients suffering from minor health concerns to book a visit with a doctor at the emergency department before arrival.

The program would give patients a chance to be accessed and treated for ailments on the same day or the next day with a scheduled arrival time with the hospital, adding that five arrival times would be scheduled daily between 8 a.m. and 9:15 a.m., Monday to Friday, as part of the initial pilot.

"The population in the South Georgian Bay region has grown significantly over the past three years, along with the volume of patients who are presenting at our emergency department. Because many of the individuals who have moved to the region do not have access to a family physician, it's important that we continue to pursue innovative ways to ensure access to high quality, timely care when patients need it," stated Mike Lacroix, CGMH president and CEO.

According to the hospital's release on Wednesday, before booking an arrival time, patients will be asked to answer questions online related to their symptoms to analyze if they meet the criteria. However, the release noted that if appointments are fully booked, anyone experiencing health concerns can visit the emergency department.

The hospital will also conduct an anonymous survey during the pilot project to collect feedback for future enhancements.

"The goal of this pilot is to increase patient access, improve the patient experience and grow the pilot to include more arrival times for lower acuity items while preventing overcrowding at the busiest times of day," said Dr. Greg Devet, CGMH chief of emergency medicine.

Beginning Wednesday, bookings can be made online with CGMH.