The recent deaths of two people who waited hours to see doctors at Nova Scotia emergency departments have spurred the province to announce changes aimed at providing faster urgent care for patients.
With a renewed scrutiny on Nova Scotia's emergency departments, experts say the problems of overcrowding and long wait times stem from issues elsewhere in the health-care system.
The hiring of at least four physician assistants for the emergency department at Dartmouth General Hospital is imminent and Nova Scotia’s health minister says four more will soon be hired to work in the emergency department in Bridgewater.
A new report on the state of the province's emergency departments paints a dire picture of unexpected closures, long ambulance-offload wait times, lengthy waits for care and patients leaving without being seen.