CORNWALL, Ontario – A new queuing system has been created within the emergency department at the Cornwall Community Hospital to help streamline the waiting for tens of thousands of annual visits.
The hospital said in a release Wednesday the new system will feature an electronic numbering component when patients walk through the doors and approach the triage area.
When arriving, patients will see a touch screen where they will be asked a few preliminary questions. A ticket will be issued and in turn, the patient is placed in a virtual line. This allows the patient to have a seat, knowing that their number is in the queue to be called and seen by the triage nurse.
“A lineup in front of you can be daunting, this numbering process is beneficial for both the patient and the triage nurses,” said Ginette Ferguson, senior director of the operating room and emergency department.
Once seated, the patient will see their number displayed on the television screens and an audio announcement will be made to call the next in line.
Since the relocation of the emergency department to the newly constructed west addition of the hospital in 2013, nearly 60,000 people in the last fiscal year attended seeking medical help.
“This improvement to the process is creating a better flow, and improved patient comfort,” the hospital said in a statement.
