(SASKATOON) April 5, 2005 – Starting today, physicians across the province will use a one-step process to access a Saskatoon hospital bed for their patients. The Acute Care Access Line, called ACAL and implemented by Client/Patient Access Services, will speed up the time it takes to access the most appropriate critical or acute care bed for adult patients from Saskatoon and across the province.
ACAL is an expansion of the Critical Care Access Line (CCAL) which the Health Region implemented in June 2004. The CCAL focused on critically ill patients, while the new ACAL will be available for all critical and acute care patients. "Based on the success of the CCAL, we believe ACAL will help us operate even more efficiently by providing quick, appropriate access to both critical and acute care beds in Saskatoon," says Jean Morrison, Interim Health Region CEO.
In addition to providing physicians with easier and quicker access to hospital beds, other benefits of ACAL include a reduction in patient transfers across sites and maximum appropriate use of resources across sites. Patient care will also be improved as physicians will be immediately linked with the most available resources for their patients.
Using ACAL is simple. Physicians call the 24-hour phone number and speak to a Patient Care Supervisor. The Patient Care Supervisor works with the calling physician to arrange an immediate consultation with the physician accepting the patient and the appropriate specialist if required. The Patient Care Supervisor stays on the line during the consultation and then works to confirm all details of the patient transfer.
Dr. Roy Chernoff, Department Head for Family Medicine Physician in Saskatoon Health Region is excited about the expansion of the CCAL to ACAL. "There is no doubt ACAL will make the transfer of patients easier for physicians and indeed, all health care workers involved in the coordination and transfer of patients to and across sites in Saskatoon. It will also increase patient flow through all areas of the hospital including the emergency room," Dr. Chernoff says.
Saskatoon Health Region is the main tertiary care centre in the province, offering specialized critical and acute care services to patients across Saskatchewan and from other provinces. It is common for a physician working outside of Saskatoon to transfer their patients to Saskatoon for specialized services. Any physician who believes he/she requires a critical or acute care bed for a patient is welcome to use the service.
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For more information, contact:
Leanne Nyirfa
Corporate and Public Affairs Adviser
(306)
655-3386
Saskatoon Health Region
"Healthiest people, healthiest communities, exceptional service."
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