Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s (RVH) Emergency Department (ED) is well prepared to serve the community ahead of this year’s respiratory season with its Minor Ailment Patient Pathway (MAPP) booking portal. 

Pioneered here at RVH, the ED MAPP was designed to help decrease wait times and overcrowding by rerouting non-acute patients with cold, flu and other respiratory symptoms, along with minor limb injuries, lacerations, urinary tract infections and skin infections, out of the main ED into a designated treatment area called the Pink Zone. People presenting with any of these symptoms are encouraged to use the booking portal to determine eligibility and book a same or next-day arrival time.

“The ED MAPP enables us to provide improved access to care in our community, which is especially important during cold and flu respiratory season,” says Dr. Christopher Zanette, RVH Chief of Emergency Medicine. “We know for some, the ED is their only access point to a healthcare. We want to ensure that we are able to streamline our patients in the most efficient way possible to improve their care and experience.”

Since its successful launch in 2023, just over 5,000 patients have been seen and treated through the ED MAPP in the Pink Zone location. For most patients, the average time between being seen by the doctor and leaving the health centre is approximately 1.5 hours.

“Staying up to date on vaccinations will help to keep everyone healthy this respiratory season,” says Sharon Ramagnano, RVH Operations Director, Emergency, Critical Care and Trauma. “If you do become sick and your symptoms require a higher level of care, please follow-up with your healthcare provider, access walk-in clinics within the area, or use our ED MAPP patient online booking
system.”

RVH reminds residents to stay home when sick, wash your hands often, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and clean high touch surfaces regularly to help keep everyone healthy.

Patients can book same- and next-day arrival times Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ED MAPP booking link can be found on the RVH website (rvh.on.ca) under Emergency Department.