Emergency Q

What is it about?

Congested hospital Emergency Departments (EDs) lead to longer wait times and poorer patient health outcomes. Emergency Q is designed to empower non-emergency patients who are seeking urgent medical care by offering them a live view of forecast wait plus treatment times for non-emergency patients at North Shore Hospital’s ED compared with the nearest urgent care (Accident and Medical) clinic, Shorecare, Smales Farm, Auckland. Emergency Q is designed to put patients at the centre of the decision making process about where they seek medical care for non-emergency conditions, based on the provision of readily understood, real time data. Patients who choose Shorecare instead of the ED will be able to download a voucher onto their smart phone for free treatment at Shorecare (post the initial one month pilot phase, the voucher for free care will only be offered when the ED is congested). Patients can also use Emergency Q to learn what an emergency medical condition is to help them make informed choices about where they seek urgent medical care. Emergency Q let’s patients save time by joining the queue at their after-hours medical provider from wherever they are.