The partnership is expected to help boost Manitobans' access to care by diverting patients having low acuity needs to local medical services that have the capacity to serve them

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The partnership is expected to improve access to treatment by reducing wait times at emergency rooms. (Credit: National Cancer Institute on Unsplash)

Technology firm Medimap has entered into a collaboration with healthcare governing body Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) in Canada with an aim to enhance patient care and cut down wait times for emergency rooms.

The collaboration will tap Medimap’s software technology and the firm’s partnerships with a network of medical clinics across the Winnipeg area in order to guide patients in Manitoba with low acuity needs to nearby walk-in clinics.

Medimap said that the partnership with WRHA will improve Manitoban residents’ access to treatment by diverting patients having low acuity requirements to local medical services that can see them. This helps in reducing wait times at emergency rooms apart from boosting overall patient care.

As a result of the cooperation, hospital screens and the WRHA website will be able to display wait time data at walk-in clinics throughout the Winnipeg region, the technology firm said.

Medimap claimed that the data will enable patients in making informed decisions on where they can get timely access to treatment. Triage personnel will also have quick access to the data, which will enable them to divert low-acuity situations to other healthcare facilities.

Medimap CEO Thomas Jankowski said: “Our new partnership with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is a win-win for both patients and the overall healthcare system.

“Not only will our platform help patients with low acuity needs find the care they need, when they need it, it will also reduce wait times at emergency rooms across the city.”

The firm is said to help Canadians in finding same-day, non-urgent access to care with its software helping clinics to inform about changes in operating hours, their peak time, and the option to join a waitlist or reserve an appointment.

According to the firm, patients can go through the Medimap website before their visit to a clinic which can minimise the waiting time for a doctor. They will also have the option to book appointments with allied health professionals like physiotherapists, optometrists, chiropractors, mental health services, and others.

WRHA president and CEO Mike Nader said: “Every month, approximately 40 percent of people who visit a Winnipeg Urgent Care Centre or emergency department could receive the health care they need, often sooner, through a family doctor or walk-in clinic.”