MGH Emergency Department releases new online appointment booking portal for those with minor injuries

Every day, people seek care at local emergency departments (ED) for serious injuries and illnesses.

For those with minor injuries, coming to the ED can result in getting an x-ray and in-person assessment – but often with an in-hospital wait time that may exceed several hours. In order to make these visits more efficient and convenient, Michael Garron Hospital’s (MGH) ED has created a new online booking portal that allows patients with muskuloskeletal injuries, such as fractures, sprains or possible broken bones, to book appointments online, in advance, and minimize their time spent in hospital.

“Our new online booking portal offers a multitude of benefits for all patients seeking emergency healthcare services. By allowing patients with minor injuries to book appointments in advance, we are reducing their wait time in hospital, their exposure to those who may be sick while also freeing up the ED for those with severe, potentially life-threatening medical concerns that require urgent care,” says Dr. Kyle Vojdani, chief and medical director of the emergency department, MGH.

“One of the reasons that ED waiting rooms fill up is because patients can’t space out their arrivals. This portal will allow us to do just that with those patients who are able to wait.”

The portal, hosted by Health Myself, is easily accessible through the hospital’s emergency department website and is compatible with both computers and mobile devices. First time users are asked to register with Health Myself before proceeding to the booking portal page, where they can answer a few simple questions to determine if they qualify for a pre-scheduled appointment. Those who qualify are offered a same day or next-day appointment in the ED depending on availability. 

Patients are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to their appointment to register. From there, an orthopedic technician is notified of a patient’s arrival and will bring the patient to the ED’s ‘minor acuity’ zone to be assessed.

While the team aims to keep booked appointments under two hours, a longer stay may be required for complex injuries. Patients with potentially serious injuries or those who meet certain serious criteria detailed on the portal's description page (such as an injury to the head or neck or those who are on blood thinners) should proceed immediately to the emergency department instead of using the portal.  

“Our hope is that this booking portal will give people the comfort of knowing that if it’s just an x-ray they want or a quick injury assessment, they don’t have to rush to the hospital and wait on-site for care,” says Dr. Vojdani.

“This is just another example about how we’re putting our patients and the patient experience first.”

To learn more about MGH’s ED, click here. To visit the booking portal page, click here.