Misericordia's Urgent Care Centre (GOOGLE STREET VIEW)
A new pilot project beginning Wednesday will see ambulances off-loading patients with non-life threatening injuries to the Urgent Care Centre at the Misericordia Health Centre.
The project is meant to reduce wait times for patients and off-loading times for paramedics.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority says approximately 10-14 ambulances per day will bring stable patients with concerns such as animal bites and broken wrists to Urgent Care. Patients with minor injuries would have previously been taken to an emergency department.
“This will lessen demands in our emergency departments for the stable patients who previously waited in emergency at the end of the triage scale and also for the paramedics who bring them,” said Lori Lamont, WRHA vice president and Chief Nursing Officer.
The collaborative effort between the WRHA, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and Misericordia Health Centre will see patients taken by ambulance to the Urgent Care Centre only between 7:30 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Paramedics will then be able to leave patients once they have been triaged at the urgent care desk.
“Our Urgent Care health team is equipped to handle non-life-threatening conditions, including providing diagnostic tests such as x-rays or blood work,” said Dr. John Reda, Misericordia’s Chief Medical Officer and Urgent Care Director.
