Dr. Rosa McNamara:

I thank the Senator. When people present they are triaged and that determines the order in which they are seen. What cannot be seen are the parallel streams of activity that are occurring in a typical emergency department. Some people are in the resuscitation room. They are the most critically ill and are receiving immediate life-saving, limb-saving or sight-saving interventions. There is another stream that may have minor injuries or ailments that are typically seen in another part of the department and go through much more quickly.

The group the Senator s describing is the group of people who may have a lower triage category and who may have some care initiated. They might have blood tests or ECGs ordered. They certainly receive nursing attention and care. It is not that nothing is happening. Things are happening in parallel while waiting. However, the Senator is right. Sometimes there can be long waits if the demand exceeds the ability of the department to deliver it.