Quebec medical specialist shares New Year's Eve tips as ERs are overcrowded

A Quebec emergency medicine specialist is urging caution as emergency rooms across the province face overcrowding, with a 128 per cent occupancy rate on New Year's Eve.

As of 12 p.m. Tuesday, Montreal's rate had surged to 145 per cent. 

Sophie Gosselin, chief of the emergency department for the CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre, pointed out that there are many ways for people to avoid visiting the ER.

"The mission of the emergency is to care for people whose lives, limbs or organs are in danger and could not be treated elsewhere," she said.

For those who are sick or at higher risk, such as individuals with heart conditions or diabetes, Gosselin recommends wearing a mask around loved ones to prevent spreading or contracting illnesses.

She also highlighted that "very few people" regularly wash their hands before eating or sharing food with others, a habit she strongly she strongly advises against neglecting. 

On the topic of food and drinking, the expert noted that overeating, food poisoning, and intoxication are common reasons for ER visits during the holidays. She asks that Quebecers refrain from overindulging and to exercise caution with the use of recreational substances and alcohol. 

"There are ways to have fun without being sick," she said.

What is an occupancy rate? 

Gosselin noted that occupancy rates don't necessarily account for everyone in an ER. 

"It reflects the number of people that are on a stretcher, either in investigation or waiting to get a ward bed," she said, adding that the actual number of people in ERs is sometimes much higher than the reported occupancy rate. 

When the rates exceed 100 per cent, Gosselin explained that patients spill over from stretcher areas into waiting rooms, disrupting physicians and nurses' ability to attend to those still waiting to be seen. This further slows down the process.

The specialist stressed that prevention is crucial to avoiding these kinds of situations that put pressure on nurses at triage who assess patient priority.

"Every year, it's the same thing. People try to avoid going to the hospital or seeking care around Christmas time because they want to be with loved ones," she said. 

According to her, some ER visits could've been prevented if people had sought other alternatives or planned ahead, citing examples like people showing up to renew medications or complete forms.

Calling 811, searching for clinics online and using the Health Ministry's online questionnaires to assess whether to visit an emergency room are among the suggested solutions.