Cobequid ER testing new number-based triage system to cut wait times

Nova Scotia Health says the Cobequid Community Health Centre is piloting a new emergency department program aimed at reducing wait times.

The health authority announced Tuesday that patients visiting the ER will now take a number, which will be called over the overhead speaker and displayed on a monitor. Patients will then be triaged and registered in the order they arrived.

It says the goal is to streamline the triage and registration process while improving privacy, as names will no longer be called out loud.

Those experiencing life-threatening emergencies will continue to receive top priority.

The pilot comes as Nova Scotia faces ongoing criticism over emergency department wait times.

According to the province’s most recent accountability report, the average wait time from triage to provider at Nova Scotia Health facilities in 2023–24 was nearly three hours — a 5.7 per cent increase from the 2.8-hour average the previous year.