Across Canada, emergency departments are overworked, and many visitors would be better served by non-urgent care services. For example, did you know that one in three ED visits by seniors in residential care is potentially avoidable?

The Fraser Health Authority in BC recently piloted PREVIEW-ED©, a tool that can detect early health decline in nursing home residents in as little as eight to 15 seconds related to four common conditions: pneumonia, urinary tract infections, dehydration, and congestive heart failure.

This is great news for seniors in residential care, who usually do better if treated where they live. An Ontario pilot of the PREVIEW-ED© tool showed a 71 per cent decrease in patient transfers to emergency departments.

Siena is working with the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement to produce an environmental scan and situational analysis of PREVIEW-ED©, reviewing best practices and software systems, and making recommendations on the potential for full deployment of the tool across Canada. Read more about this innovative assessment tool here.