Ambulance response times have not always met targets, but the alarming new pinch point in our health-care system is that there are no ambulances at all available to respond to calls.
As visits to emergency departments surge — and in some cases overwhelm hospitals — here are answers to frequently asked questions about Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Innovation in primary care for COPD patients has the potential to alleviate a significant strain on the health system by reducing emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
A strong primary care system keeps patients away from emergency departments and helps patients self-manage illnesses. But Ontario’s plan to ease pressure on emergency rooms ignores family medicine.
Delirium doesn’t just harm vulnerable seniors. It prolongs hospital stays, ties up beds and clogs emergency rooms. Mandating senior-friendly hospital care protects patients and the health-care system.
Adding more beds won’t fix emergency department pressures. Neither will one-size-fits-all processes. But improving patient flow and addressing staff shortages might.
Almost half of patients have poor understanding of their emergency department visit. Being aware of how the emergency department works can give patients the tools to have a smoother experience.
Michael Musker, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
The COVID pandemic has increased the strain on an already troubled mental health system in South Australia. Now, the state’s outgoing mental health boss is calling for accountability and change.
We’re likely to see more ‘fever clinics’ opening as coronavirus transmission takes hold in the community. But what are they? And do you need a fever to attend one?
Running, jumping, tackling, not to mention handling the ball, means Aussie Rules players risk injuries to their hands and wrists serious enough to send them to the emergency department.
Simon Quilty, Australian National University and Lisa Wood, The University of Western Australia
A safe home, a working fridge and access to transport are all needed before western medicine has a chance of working in the long term. But a new way of providing care can help.
SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne