Santé Québec notes uptick in ER visits amid flu season

Quebec’s health authority is again asking people to use front-line services before going to the emergency room after an uptick in visits.

It said almost half of ER visits in the last week were from patients with non-urgent health conditions.

For those with concerns, calling 811 should be the first step, Santé Québec said in a news release.

“Contrary to what some believe, 811 professionals don’t always direct callers to the emergency,” it said. In fact, only one third of callers were sent to the ER while others were given at-home care guidance or were referred to a pharmacist or doctor.

The online Guichet d’accès à la première ligne (GAP) is another stopgap measure for those who don’t have a family doctor.

Santé Québec noted an eight per cent increase in ER occupancy rates compared to last year, with the Montreal-area being most affected. Montreal’s occupancy rate rose from 125 per cent last year to 145 per cent, while the provincial average is 124 per cent.

Wait times also went up by about 48 minutes per patient between Jan. 28 and Feb. 10 for an average of 18.8 hours.

Some 10,150 patients visited Quebec’s ERs in that same period, about 500 more than last year – and 1,500 more than in 2023. Santé Québec said 1,700 of those showed up with flu symptoms – 14 per cent more than last week.

“These extra visits put a lot of pressure on the teams,” the health agency said.

Luc Boileau, the head of public health, said this flu season is one of the worst of the last decade and is being closely monitored. He expects it will reach its peak soon but urges those who have yet to get a flu shot to book an appointment.

He urged those who have yet to get a flu shot to make an appointment.

“It’s not too late to get vaccinated: vaccination is still available and is particularly recommended for people at risk of developing complications,” Boileau said in a news release.