{"id":1554,"date":"2026-04-28T14:03:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T14:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petal-health.com\/?p=1554"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:32:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T15:32:29","slug":"pharmacies-reduce-ed-overcrowding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.petal-health.com\/fr\/blog\/physicians\/pharmacies-reduce-ed-overcrowding\/","title":{"rendered":"How pharmacies reduce emergency department overcrowding"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Key takeaways<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  1. Pharmacies unlock\u00a0untapped\u00a0system capacity:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0R<\/span>edirecting\u00a0low-acuity patients away from EDs\u00a0to\u00a0pharmacies\u00a0ensures\u00a0healthcare resources are used where\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0needed most.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Easing ED pressure breaks the burnout cycle:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Fewer unnecessary visits mean more manageable workloads, leading\u00a0to\u00a0better\u00a0work-life balance.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. The\u00a0financial impact\u00a0is measurably great:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Redirecting patients generates system-wide savings for reinvesting into improved patient access and provider wellbeing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Pharmacies help reduce emergency department overcrowding by redirecting low-acuity patients to more\u00a0appropriate care\u00a0settings, faster. This improves wait times, reduces provider burnout, and lowers system costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Overworked\u00a0providers and strained\u00a0healthcare\u00a0budgets need relief.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0where\u00a0pharmacies come in.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Maximizing system resources is imperative for Canadian health systems.\u00a0Currently, many patients seek treatment in emergency departments (EDs) because\u00a0<\/span>they lack primary care options<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0Long\u00a0ED\u00a0wait times\u2014<\/span>5.5 hours per visit nationally<\/span><\/a>\u00a0between 2024\u201325\u2014frustrate patients and exhaust providers. This is compounded by\u00a0<\/span>14% of ED visits being\u00a0manageable\u00a0by primary care<\/span><\/a>; 50% are addressable by virtual care, such as 811 systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Patient\u00a0redirection offers an advanced solution for moving patients to the\u00a0right\u00a0care, faster.\u00a0Pharmacies are critical nodes in this network. When ED\u00a0providers direct patients to the most\u00a0appropriate care\u00a0in real time, wait times decrease\u00a0and\u00a0patient\u00a0lives improve.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Here are three ways\u00a0pharmacies unlock capacity to ease strain on patients and providers while\u00a0stretching budgets.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    How do pharmacies reduce ED overcrowding?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Pharmacies absorb low-acuity cases that don\u2019t require hospital resources. When patients are redirected in real time, EDs save space to prioritize higher-acuity care.<\/span><\/p>

    System wide, something\u00a0has to\u00a0give:\u00a0<\/span>5.9 million adults in Canada<\/span><\/a>\u00a0lack access to primary care and\u00a0<\/span>79% of the health workforce<\/span><\/a>\u00a0reports feeling burnt-out<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>

    Let’s\u00a0explore\u00a0the impact\u00a0on\u00a0ED capacity.<\/span><\/p>

    A\u00a0patient\u00a0goes to an ED with a low acuity case, such as an ear infection\u00a0or a rash, that could be\u00a0addressed\u00a0in a clinic or\u00a0pharmacy.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0now in line within the ED. After them, a\u00a0patient\u00a0arrives with a higher acuity case, such as\u00a0severe abdominal pain, that must be solved in the ED\u00a0that day.\u00a0As both cases are non-life threatening, the\u00a0second\u00a0patient\u00a0may wait longer than they should because the first\u00a0patient\u00a0is already waiting.<\/span><\/p>

    Now,\u00a0let\u2019s\u00a0imagine the hospital is part of a network that redirects patients to local clinics and\u00a0pharmacies.<\/span><\/p>

    When the\u00a0patient\u00a0with the ear infection arrives, the hospital\u00a0identifies\u00a0a local\u00a0pharmacy with space. The\u00a0patient\u00a0is redirected to this\u00a0pharmacy rather than taking up space in the ED. This saves ED capacity, so when the second\u00a0patient\u00a0arrives,\u00a0they\u2019ll\u00a0see a provider faster.<\/span><\/p>