Peterborough Regional Health Centre Launches Emergency Department Streamlined Treatment and Evaluation Pathway

A new Streamlined Treatment and Evaluation Pathway is available starting Monday for patients with minor illnesses and injuries in Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s (PRHC) Emergency Department.

file photo.

The online Streamlined Treatment and Evaluation Pathway (STEP) will allow patients to be pre-screened for minor illnesses and injuries, including respiratory symptoms, minor limb injuries and urinary tract infections.

Before arriving at the hospital, patients will be asked to complete an online survey to determine their eligibility for this care pathway based on their symptoms.

Patients who complete the survey and are eligible for STEP will be provided with a confirmation message and asked to come to the Emergency Department as usual. Upon arrival, these patients will check in at the Emergency Department triage desk and show the Registration Clerk their confirmation of STEP eligibility, and will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis by a dedicated physician. 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.

If you complete the survey and STEP isn’t the right pathway for your care, you will be asked to come to the Emergency Department and go through the normal triage process.

A STEP physician will be available to see patients with minor illnesses and injuries from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“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, Director of Emergency, Critical Care, Respiratory Services and Trauma at PRHC. “We want to ensure that we are able to streamline our patients in the most efficient way possible to improve their care and experience, and 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 can be accessed directly online.

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