Protocol needed for doctor-to-ER communication: BCMA
Posted January 14, 2014 9:04 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – There are worries your health could suffer because of a lack of communication from doctors who send their patients to hospital emergency rooms.
BC Medical Association is concerned if some sort of protocol isn’t developed soon, it could lead to lapses in care.
This comes after a look into the death of a man in Winnipeg who was waiting for more than 30 hours at an ER. He was sent there by his doctor with a letter explaining his condition but was never given a proper assessment.
William Cunningham, head of the BCMA says the transition of care from one provider to another is a critical and dangerous moment for patients. He says the doctor-to-doctor communication needs to be there.
He’s also encouraging people to see their family doctor rather than go to the emergency, because another major problem is overcrowding.
