“I won’t need that” myth banished with these facts on emergency room usage in Canada.
Annual Volume: In Canada, there are approximately 15 to 16 million emergency department visits every year across a population of around 40 million.
Age Distribution: Peak usage occurs during early childhood (under 10) and older adulthood (over 55).
Primary Care Reliance: Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) indicates that around 15% of all emergency room visits are for conditions that could be managed in primary care, often because patients lack access to a regular family doctor or require after-hours care.