Data shows 1 in 7 ER visits could have been handled by primary care [Video]

The ongoing shortage of family doctors is driving many people to seek treatment in emergency rooms, even when their cases could be better managed through primary care, according to new data

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) says between April 2023 and March 2024, 15 per cent of visits to Canadian emergency rooms could have been managed through a primary care provider.

In B.C., the figure was 12.2 per cent, a number CIHI project lead Julia de Bella said underestimates the problem because data from the province excluded people who left the ER before getting treatment.

“What we believe this indicates is unmet needs in access to primary care,” she said.

“A lot of people face challenges in accessing primary care, so when nothing else works, often you do have to go to the emergency department.”

It found the average wait to see a doctor in a B.C. ER was 3.4 hours, …