At the start of a recent Wednesday morning shift in the Emergency Room (ER) at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Dr. Justin Hall was met with a waiting room already packed with over 60 patients. Sunnybrook, known for its largest trauma and burn center in Canada, also holds the record for the longest wait times in Ontario. In 2024, the median duration of stay for patients at Sunnybrook was measured at eight hours and 13 minutes, indicating that half of the patients spent even longer in the ER from registration to discharge.
Acknowledging the challenge, Dr. Hall, the chief of emergency medicine at Sunnybrook, highlighted the issue of extended wait times. To combat this, the hospital recently initiated a pilot program utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to expedite ER services. Through an AI-enabled app called DAX Copilot, which operates as a digital scribe, doctors like Hall can streamline patient interactions. The app records and organizes patient-doctor conversations, allowing physicians to review pertinent information beforehand, leading to quicker decision-making and reduced administrative tasks.
The introduction of AI technology has shown promising results, with Sunnybrook estimating an average time-saving of seven minutes per patient encounter in manual documentation. Dr. Hall emphasized that this approach enhances patient care by reducing administrative burdens on medical professionals and facilitating faster medical interventions.
In addition to technological advancements, Sunnybrook has leveraged private donations to enhance patient care further. By supplementing overnight physician coverage, the hospital has managed to decrease the wait times to see a doctor in the ER by approximately 30 minutes. Dr. Hall expressed gratitude for the donors’ support, highlighting the positive impact on patient outcomes and the hospital’s operational efficiency.
While Sunnybrook continues to innovate and improve patient care, Ontario’s health minister, Sylvia Jones, declined an interview regarding the province’s strategies to address prolonged wait times. However, a ministry spokesperson emphasized the government’s significant investments in healthcare, including $44 million allocated specifically to address ER wait times in recent years.