Medical day hospitals cutting down wait times, easing ER burden

The Montreal General Hospital believes its medical day hospital is a way to cut down wait times in the emergency room.

Its team believes it has made a big difference.

Angie Appiah, 26, was sent to the McGill university Health Centre (MUHC) medical day hospital for a follow-up on her blood sugar levels.

“This is like five-star treatment,” she said. “As soon as I came in, they called me within five minutes and within an hour, I got to see the nurse. I got to see the doctor. They took my pressure. They were so quick. It’s amazing.”

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) says that the day centre model has been used throughout Quebec for several years.

The MUHC has been developing theirs since 2024.

“We’re seeing positive results in terms of emergency room occupancy and hospital fluidity, which is very good news indeed,” the MSSS said. “The MSSS encourages the sharing and implementation of such initiatives.”

The mandate is to reduce patients’ length of stay in the hospital.

“We’re a way to get people out of there,” said Montreal General Medical Day Hospital director Dr. Patrizia Zanelli. “We’re a way to not just get people off of stretchers, but we’re a way to get people out of the waiting room. We get people out of the hospital .”

There are six nurses and one doctor, and patients are referred from anywhere within the MUHC. Staff see up to 22 patients a day.

Zanelli said they are able to help with a variety of heat, lung and kidney problems.

“These are all patients that typically would have been earmarked to see an internal medicine specialist in the emergency room, but because the patient is well enough to leave, they can be seen even the next day,” said Zanelli.

In its first year and change, the new day hospital has treated more than 2,000 patients and freed up beds in the ER.

“We cannot do this kind of work without the support of nursing patient attendance and having the entire hospital on board to get things done quickly,” said Zanelli.