New data shows Nova Scotians are experiencing shorter wait times at walk-in clinics than before, but that's not nearly long enough for people who don't have a primary care doctor and have to wait in line outside in the cold for treatment.
The private company Medimap collects data on wait times from 1,200 healthcare facilities in six Canadian provinces. On its website, patients can be informed about the waiting times they will face before they can receive medical care.
Data compiled by the company in 2023 shows the average Canadian waited 68 minutes to see a doctor, almost twice as long as the previous year.
However, in Nova Scotia there is an opposite trend. In 2023, citizens would have waited an average of 72 minutes before receiving medical care. That's 11 minutes less than in 2022.
It is the only province where we are observing an opposite trend, which seems quite remarkable to me
say it CEO from the company Medimap, Thomas Jankowski.
It's really hard
On Wednesday, some people waiting in line at a clinic in Halifax didn't feel the same way. About twenty of them waited in the cold to see a doctor.
It's really hard
said Neil Green, who estimated the wait on the sidewalk was two hours before he could enter the clinic.
I tried visiting different clinics a few times. Either they are “overbooked” or there is no availability because there is no doctor there
He decides.
The wait on the sidewalk seems even longer when it's freezing cold, complains Neil Green.
Reduce congestion in hospitals and improve service offerings
Thomas Jankowski agrees that Mediamap does not allow tracking of time spent outside of clinics and that the times stated on the website underestimate the overall waiting time.
We're trying to find a way to ask patients to perform [leur propre] There are reports of waiting times before entering a clinic, but this data is difficult to obtain
says Thomas Jankowski.
Nova Scotia Health, for its part, issued a news release Tuesday saying health care facilities will receive additional support to ease strain on the system.
In addition, new time slots will be made available for virtual appointments and we plan to expand the pharmacists' range of services.
Mobile clinics will also take place Bridgewater February 21st, 25th and 28th.
Finally, health authorities say that the smartphone application YourHealthNS can help citizens find services that meet their health needs and the locations where they are offered.
According to the report by Luke Ettingerfrom CBC
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