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Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
New report finds wait times in B.C. emergency rooms continue to climb
British Columbians are waiting longer to get care in emergency rooms and the situation is the worst it's been in the last five years, according to a new national report looking at emergency room wait times across the country. The report by the Montreal Economic Institute found that the median length of stay in a B.C. emergency room — calculated from the time a patient registers to when they are discharged or are admitted to the hospital — was four hours and 13 minutes in 2024, up from just over three hours in 2019. 'Throughout the years, B.C. has remained somewhere in the middle of the pack, never the worst, never the best,' said report author and economist Emmanuelle B. Faubert on Wednesday. 'But while they're not doing the most poorly out of the provinces, there's still improvement that can be done.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The median wait time indicates that 50 per cent of patients waits more and 50 per cent waits less. The longest waiting times in the country were in Quebec, where ER patients' median wait was nearly 5 1/2 hours and shortest in Newfoundland and Labrador, where the median wait time was two hours and 45 minutes. Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia were not included due to lack of submitted data. Reports of long waiting times at emergency rooms in B.C. are not new. A patient visiting Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody shared a photo of a handwritten sign posted at the ER early Tuesday morning that said the wait time to see a doctor was 12 hours. Fraser Health said the sign was not made or posted by the health authority, although it acknowledged the emergency department saw 'higher-than-normal patient volumes' and 'unexpected staffing challenges.' A 'significant' number of patients did not require urgent care, and many of them had to wait longer to get care, it said in a statement. This isn't the first time rogue signs have appeared at Eagle Ridge, which has consistently reported some of the longest ER waiting times among Metro Vancouver hospitals. It placed 20th out of 29 emergency rooms in B.C. with a median wait time of four hours and 24 minutes, according to the report from the Montreal think-tank. Late last year, photos of signs saying the hospital's ER was closed due to overcapacity circulated on social media. The sign was false Fraser Health said at the time. It was unclear who wrote the note, but it appeared to be from frustrated staff who urged the public to contact Port Coquitlam MLA Mike Farnworth to 'help us advocate' to keep the ER open 'so that we can do our jobs and attend to every patient requiring emergency care in a timely fashion.' In 2023, doctors at Eagle Ridge, along with colleagues at Royal Columbian Hospital, penned an open letter sounding the alarm over long waiting times, overcrowding and patient safety at the two hospitals' emergency departments due to a shortage of ER doctors and nurses. In B.C., the shortest ER waiting time was at Providence Health's Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver (a median wait of two hours and 54 minutes), said the report. Fraser Health's Fraser Canyon Hospital in Hope (three hours) had the next shortest waits followed by Vancouver Coastal's UBC Health Sciences Centre (three hours and six minutes). The worst performer was Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre (six hours and 36 minutes), followed by Island Health's Royal Jubilee Hospital (six hours and 18 minutes) and Vancouver General Hospital (five hours and 18 minutes). The report chalked up longer waiting times partly to a lack of access to primary care and lack of options for people with minor emergencies. It recommended Canada adopt clinics similar to ones operating in France called immediate medical care centres to fill in what it called the missing middle of emergency care to treat low priority cases, such as fractures or infections. Faubert said the French clinics are similar to B.C.'s urgent care centres but are privately run, which Faubert argued would face less bureaucratic red tape to get set up and operating and have more flexibility in terms of scheduling and staffing. 'Also, having clinics run and operated by government means it can be slower to spread across the province and the country,' she said. 'There's limitations when you have control that is very centralized.' At an unrelated news conference on Tuesday, B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said the long waiting times at B.C. emergency departments speak to the larger context of the global shortage of health care workers. She said that's why the provincial government has been working to build up its primary care system, establish urgent care clinics, fast-tracking credentials of U.S.-trained doctors and U.S.-registered nurses, and ramping up recruitment efforts to attract U.S.-based health care workers to come work in B.C. chchan@
Global News
20-05-2025
- Health
- Global News
‘Dangerous data void': Number of B.C. residents on extended leave from involuntary care unknown
Concerns are being raised after the provincial government admitted it does not know how many people are on extended leave from involuntary care stays in B.C. On April 30 it was revealed that the suspect in the Lapu Lapu festival tragedy, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was under the care of a mental health care team but he was on extended leave at the time. Angela Russolillo, assistant professor in nursing at the University of British Columbia, told Global News that involuntary care and extended leave are not new, however, the lack of data on the number of people is an issue. 'It's concerning that the province actually doesn't have a lot of transparent data on who is certified under the Mental Health Act and who is on extended leave in the province,' she said. Story continues below advertisement 'We're actually operating in a very dangerous data void in terms of transparent data that's available to inform care decisions and ultimately, the lack of data doesn't allow us to, ultimately, design care and interventions for folks that require services.' According to Fraser Health, extended leave means the person continues to be certified under the Mental Health Act after being discharged from a designated facility. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Reasons for the extended leave are not disclosed but may include: 'The person needs further treatment but they lack the insight into their need for continued treatment and are unwilling to continue treatment in the community; The person's mental and physical health may deteriorate (get worse) without the certification but they don't have to be in a designated facility. In a case of an extended leave, Fraser Health states that the person is still supported by a community mental health team that monitors their mental health and well-being and provides treatment and support as necessary. 1:34 New questions surround investigation of Lapu Lapu Day suspect Adam Lo Russolillo said one of the best ways to inform health care and make decisions is by using data-driven materials. Story continues below advertisement 'Unfortunately, what we're seeing a lot right now in the province is a large reliance on involuntary mental health care in order to provide patients, who might need services, with that care,' she said. 'What we really want to see is more access to community-based mental health care, so that folks can access services in their communities voluntarily and get access to a range of services that might include medication supports but also mental health supports.' In a statement on April 30, the B.C. Ministry of Health said there was no indication of violence in Lo's presentation to his mental health team. It also said there was no recent change in his condition or non-compliance with his treatment plan that would have warranted involuntary hospitalization. Eleven people were killed at the Lapu Lapu festival on April 26 and dozens more were injured. Lo has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and remains in custody. The provincial government was not available on Tuesday to answer questions about people who are on extended leave from involuntary care stays in B.C.
Vancouver Sun
19-05-2025
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Surrey nurse on maternity leave donates breast milk to help tiniest patients
Like many expectant moms, Sandeep Thiara-Basi was worried about breastfeeding. The Surrey nurse works in the family birthing unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital and had seen new mothers struggle to get breastfeeding started, even more so when the infants were premature. Would her baby latch properly? Would it be difficult? Would she have enough milk? Breastfeeding was difficult: 'She wouldn't latch, she struggled, got red in the face. She would cry and I was stressed,' said Thiara-Basi. The new mom who, who gave birth to Nyra at Surrey Memorial in September 2024, was desperate. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'I went down the Reddit rabbit hole trying to figure out what was wrong.' The reason breastfeeding was challenging for her was the opposite of what she expected: she had so much milk, her newborn simply couldn't manage. She had to switch to bottle-feeding her own breast milk to Nyra, one of the many adjustments breastfeeding mothers can make with the support of their midwife or health care provider. 'The first time I pumped I got two bottles,' said Thiara-Basi. 'It was so much more than she needed.' Her milk was so abundant she filled the family's freezer after just 3 weeks. Thiara-Basi didn't want it to go to waste. That's when she reached out to B.C. Women's Provincial Milk Bank . The B.C. Women's Provincial Milk Bank accepts raw milk donations from nursing mothers, collects, screens, pasteurizes and pools it to distribute to those who need more milk for their infants than they can produce. Many are preemies, whose mothers aren't producing enough. That comforted Thiara-Basi, who had worked with premature infants at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Breast milk offers many benefits to infants, including protection against certain illnesses and diseases, and it lowers the risk of asthma, obesity, Type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to the CDC . The process was simple. 'I went on the Milk Bank website, put in my information and the next day they called me,' said Thiara-Basi. After the initial call, a nurse went through her health history with her on the phone. She had to get the OK from her family doctor, and go through a short health screening to ensure she was producing enough, and did not have any medical conditions that would prevent her from donating, such as HIV, hepatitis or other communicable diseases. Carrie Stefanson, a spokesperson for Fraser Health, said donations are voluntary and the Milk Bank accepts any amount of appropriately stored milk once the donor has been screened. Some bereaved birth parents choose to donate their milk in honour of their child. Fraser Health participates in the Baby Friendly Initiative, a global initiative developed by the WHO and UNICEF, which provides to support mothers in breastfeeding, including milk donation programs. Human Milk Donation Day, also known as World Donor Milk Day, is celebrated on May 19 to highlight the importance of human milk donors and their contributions to nourishing vulnerable babies, particularly those in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). 'The Baby Friendly Initiative team at Fraser Health is grateful to all milk donors for providing raw human milk donations,' said Stefanson. Seven months after her first donation, Thiara-Basi has donated 100,725 cubic centimetres of milk, over 100 litres. 'My husband is so supportive,' said Thiara-Basi. 'He takes the baby while I pump and sterilize everything.' When she has enough, she packs it in a cooler, and her mother picks it up and drops it off at the nearby public health unit. 'It feels so good to be able to help other families,' said Thiara-Basi. Most importantly, Nyra is thriving and in good health: it's what she hopes for every newborn that receives the milk she donates. For more information about becoming a breast milk donor, or receiving donated breast milk, go to . dryan@
The Province
27-04-2025
- Health
- The Province
New travel-related case of measles in Lower Mainland
Fraser Health says a traveller from Ontario, who went to Vancouver and Chilliwack on April 20, has a confirmed case of measles Fraser Health says another case of measles has been confirmed in the Lower Mainland. A new case of measles has been confirmed in the Lower Mainland, the sixth confirmed case in B.C. this year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors On Saturday, the Fraser Health Authority said the latest illness is in a visitor from Ontario, who travelled to Vancouver and Chilliwack on April 20. Health officials say they are following up with people who are known to have been exposed to the virus. Members of the public may have been exposed to measles if they were in the following locations: • Air Canada Flight AC2105 from Toronto to Vancouver on April 20, departing at 8:38 a.m. and arriving at 10:09 a.m. • Domestic arrivals area of Vancouver International Airport, including baggage claim area from 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on April 20. • Chilliwack Coliseum, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. on April 20. • Coast Chilliwack Hotel by APA (45920 First Ave., Chilliwack), from 1 p.m. on April 20 to 12 a.m. on April 25, 2025. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The health authority is reminding people that measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by air. Most people in Canada will be immune to measles because of immunization or previous infection. Individuals exposed to the measles virus should monitor for symptoms that may develop up to three weeks after being exposed, say health officials. These include fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes. This is followed a few days later by a rash that usually starts on the face and spreads rapidly down to the rest of the body. Anyone who develops symptoms of measles is asked to stay home and contact Fraser Health Public Health (604-507-5471) for advice. If urgent care is needed, people should inform their health care provider before they visit them so staff can take precautions to prevent measles being spread to others. Those born in 1970 or later and have not had two doses of measles vaccine are advised to get a dose of measles vaccine. Health officials say it is most effective if received within three days of being exposed but still can be received after that. ticrawford@ Read More News Vancouver Canucks News Vancouver Whitecaps Federal Election
Winnipeg Free Press
27-04-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fraser Health says visitor from Ontario is the latest case of measles in B.C.
SURREY – Health authorities in British Columbia have confirmed another new case of measles infection in the province, this time with a visitor from Ontario. Fraser Health says the visitor travelled to Vancouver and Chilliwack on April 20, and doctors and health workers are 'following up directly' with people known to have been exposed. In addition, Fraser Health is warning anyone who flew from Toronto to Vancouver on April 20 on Air Canada Flight 2105, which departed at 8:38 a.m. and arrived at 10:09 a.m., to monitor for symptoms. The health authority says the infected visitor also visited Vancouver International Airport's domestic terminal as well as the Chilliwack Coliseum on that day, and the unidentified person also stayed at the Coast Chilliwack Hotel until April 25. Fraser Health says most Canadians are immune to measles due to either prior immunization or infection. Those who are not immune may see symptoms such as fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes, as well as a rash that spreads to the entire body a few days after initial symptoms emerge. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Those who develop symptoms are asked to stay home and contact health authorities to discuss treatment advice to prevent further spread. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2025.
