ER wait times will improve, minister vows

Alberta Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky says wait times in hospitalemergency rooms will improve.

Figures releasedFriday revealed lengthy waits at nine emergency rooms in Calgary and Edmonton duringthe week startingOct. 31. Only twothe Stollery Children's Hospital andAlberta Children's Hospital hit the province's interim target of admitting 45 per cent ofpatients within eight hours.

Zwozdesky acknowledged thefigures are disappointing. However, he maintained the province's commitment toadmitting 90 per cent of patients within eight hours by 2015, and said heis optimistic this will be achieved sooner.

"That's why I say it's a living, breathing document," he said. "There may need to be some revisions, but you have to start with your best information available to arrive at a set of targets, and that's what we're doing now."

While some hospitals came close to the targets, a few had more than 70 per cent of patients waiting longer than eight hours.

Zwozdesky said opening new beds, adding acute-care capacityand working more closely with ER doctors will help reduce wait times.