A growing number of British Columbians are leaving hospital emergency rooms without being treated, according to a new national survey.
The report from the Montreal Economic Institute shows that 5.5% of all ER visits in B.C. last year ended with the patient walking out before care was provided. That’s nearly 143,000 people out of almost 2.6 million ER visits—and more than double the rate seen in 2017.
While B.C.’s walkout rate is slightly better than the national average of 7.8%, experts say the trend is concerning.
“These patients are not leaving because they feel better, but because the system is failing them,” said economist Emmanuelle Faubert, who co-authored the study.
Nationally, one in every 13 emergency visits ends without treatment. In B.C., it’s about one in 19.
The report links the problem to broader issues in Canada’s primary care system. Without regular access to doctors or clinics, many people are turning to overcrowded ERs—and some give up before they’re seen.
Faubert says policymakers must have the courage to allow more independent and alternative healthcare providers to operate, warning that the crisis will only get worse without meaningful reform.
Comments