New app to show nearest clinic and shortest wait times in Windsor-Essex

CTV Windsor: Clinic Seeker app A new app shows the nearest clinic and shortest wait times in Windsor-Essex. Sacha Long has more.

A new mobile app hopes to help Windsor and Essex County residents and visitors find the closest health care facility with the shortest wait times.

Clinic Seeker Inc. announced Friday it is launching the mobile app companion to its Clinic Seeker website, now available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

“Sometimes it’s not the pain of a broken arm that makes people grimace,” said Lisa Jacobs, founder and CEO of Clinic Seeker, in a news release. “It’s not knowing where to go for the right service when you need it.”

Jacobs said she faced this problem while travelling to another city in Ontario and became frustrated when trying to find a nearby clinic, rather than calling 911 or driving to the hospital and waiting to see a doctor in an Emergency Room.

In order to help others in this situation and to provide an accurate way to find the nearest clinic, Jacobs designed Clinic Seeker.

“Clinic Seeker directs you to the closest health care facility with the shortest wait times,” said Jacobs. “Clinic seeker instantly provides basic information such as directions, contact information, open hours as well as whether it has labs and x-rays.”

Patients waiting at clinics can share information on wait times, letting others know which clinics are running smoothly and which backlogged clinics to avoid, she said.

The app has received support from Essex-Windsor EMS and Windsor Regional Hospital.

“Having other possible options at a patient’s finger tips rather than having to come to the emergency department could help reduce the strain on ED resources and give a quicker option for non-critical patients who need care,” said WRH CEO David Musyj.

About 140,000 people come into WRH’s two Emergency Departments each year.

Clinic Seeker is free to download and use.