Montreal ERs Exceed 200% Capacity: Top 3 Most Crowded This Week
TL/DR –
Quebec’s emergency rooms are facing critical overcrowding leading the government to plea for residents to stay home unless their situation is absolutely necessary. Healthcare experts argue this is a result of the government’s own actions, pointing out the prolonged waiting times caused by their monopoly of the healthcare system. The situation is most severe in Montreal, where three hospitals experienced double their emergency room capacity, with the city’s occupancy rate averaging 158%, and three of Montreal’s busiest ERs peaking at over 200%.
Quebec Hospitals on the Brink as Overcrowding Crisis Intensifies
Just a week into the new year and Quebec’s emergency rooms are already overwhelmed. Overcrowding in hospitals has prompted the province to ask residents to stay home unless a hospital visit is absolutely necessary. The Quebec government is urging individuals with minor illnesses to seek alternative healthcare options that don’t require emergency room treatment.
Healthcare policy experts, however, argue that the government is responsible for this crisis. Renaud Brossard, vice-president of communications at the Montreal Economic Institute, a Montreal-based think tank, stated, “Prolonged wait times are a common feature of our government-run healthcare monopoly and it’s Quebecers who suffer the consequences. The government needs to recognize that access to a waiting list is not equivalent to access to healthcare. We need to allow independent clinics and hospitals to contribute to our struggling health system.”
In Montreal, the situation is especially dire, with three hospitals operating at double their emergency room capacity. The city’s occupancy rate averaged 158%, while Montreal’s busiest ERs; The Jewish General, Lakeshore, and LaSalle hospitals, peaked at over 200%. Colin Craig of SecondStreet.org, a policy think tank focusing on healthcare wait times, suggested that governments need to do a better job of informing Canadians about their care options. “Many Canadians visit the ER for minor problems, creating unnecessary pressure. For minor ailments like a sore throat, they should be visiting an urgent care facility or walk-in clinic,” Craig advised.
Before the Christmas holidays, the average occupancy rates were below 100% for the first time since November 12, 2023, as reported by Global News.
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