Patients with less serious health concerns can now be assessed and fast-tracked through the emergency department at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) under a new initiative that launched Monday (January 12).
Called the Streamlined Treatment and Evaluation Pathway (STEP), the online tool allows patients with minor ailments — such as respiratory symptoms, urinary tract infections, and minor limb injuries — to complete a brief eligibility survey before heading to the hospital.
After they arrive at the hospital, patients who are eligible for STEP will be directed to a dedicated treatment area in the emergency department (ED) and seen by a physician on a first-come, first-served basis. A dedicated physician will be available to see STEP-eligible patients from 8 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday.
After completing the screening survey, patients deemed ineligible for STEP will be instructed to still come to the ED if needed, but will be evaluated through the standard triage process.
PRHC says STEP is designed to reduce wait times and overall length-of-stay for lower-acuity patients, which will help free up capacity for more serious cases. The hospital’s ED handles more than 75,000 visits each year — roughly one patient every seven minutes — with volumes, complexity, and acuity continuing to rise over the last decade.
“STEP is one of many initiatives our emergency department has taken on to help reduce wait times and patient length-of-stay,” said Jessica Jackson, PRHC’s director of emergency, critical care, respiratory services and trauma.
In late November, the hospital launched a real-time online “wait clock” that shows how long patients can expect to wait before being seen in the emergency department.
“We want to ensure that we are able to streamline our patients in the most efficient way possible to improve their care and experience,” Jackson said. “With the support of leadership and staff across the hospital, we will continue to invest in these and other efforts to make innovations like STEP possible.”
The STEP survey is available on PRHC’s website through the emergency department page, or directly at redcap.link/PRHC_STEP.
After completing the survey, eligible patients will receive a confirmation message to present to the registration clerk when checking in at the ED triage desk. Once the triage nurse has verified the patient’s eligibility, they will be directed to the STEP area of the Green Zone waiting room, where they will wait to be seen by a physician.
