Outside factors contributing to longer emergency department wait times, CIHI report says

Global News

A recent report says one in 10 patients — equalling around 180,000 people — who were admitted to an emergency department in Canada spent more than 48 hours waiting for an inpatient bed in 2024-25.

In addition, about 1.5 million people spent more than 14 hours in emergency rooms during the same time span, a 28-per cent increase from 2018–2019.

The data released on Thursday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information highlighted that many emergency departments across Canada “are facing challenges with overcrowding, staffing shortages, and limited bed and stretcher capacity that have not kept pace with growing demand.” 

Video Runtime: 2:03