More serious cases arriving in Calgary's ERs

Calgary's emergency rooms are dealing with fewer patients, but the ones showing up for help are more seriously ill than they were a few years ago, according tostatistics.

According to the Calgary Health Region, 78 per cent of the adults who went toemergency rooms last year were considered very sick, suffering from heart attacks, strokes, accidents or complicated illnesses.

That number increased by six per cent, or 4,500 people, between 2004 and 2006. During the same period, 1,900 fewerpatients showed upat emergency departments.

Dr. Rob Abernathy, who speaks for the health region,said a shortage of family doctors and lengthy wait times for specialists areamong factors behind the increases.

"Given the increased population growth in the city, the growth in the elderly population and at this stage our capital plans lagging behind, really, our growth needs, I'm not surprised that it's happening,"he said.

That's translating into an oftenunbearable workload for hospital staff, according to Michelle Senkow of the United Nurses of Alberta. Shesaid nurses are taking more medical leave due to stress.

"There are no down times," she said. "You're going at 110 per cent all the time. You can't let down, you can't let go. You're always dealing with more than what you feel you can handle."

Calgary hospitals are undergoing expansion, but Senkow says more beds are needed right away to keep up with the demand.