Windsor Regional Hospital is set to implement new measures recommended by the provincial government’s Emergency Department Action Team, meant to alleviate pressures on emergency departments and reduce wait times — but exactly what those new measures are, have yet to be revealed. On Wednesday, the Ford government announced $47 million to expand an EDAT review to 26 hospitals across the province aimed at reducing patient wait times following a fall 2025 review of three hospital groups, including WRH. “We welcome the opportunity to implement exciting recommendations from the EDAT team of experts and look forward to announcing initiatives as they are rolled out in the weeks to come,” said Kristin Kennedy, president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital, in an emailed statement to CTV News. In the government’s news release, it notes the hospitals are set to implement the recommendations in the “coming months” after EDAT identified “a series of operational, workforce, and system-level factors” adding to patient care delays. The news release highlights “practical changes” that have been identified to help move patients faster through assessment, diagnostics, admission, and discharge. The other hospital organizations involved in last year’s review were The Ottawa Hospital and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre. “Ontario is investing historic amounts in our health-care system, including $101 billion this year, so we can connect more patients to convenient care close to home,” said Premier Doug Ford, in a statement. “Our Emergency Department Action Team will leave no stone unturned in its mission to reduce emergency room wait times at Ontario hospitals, so patients and families get the care they need, when and where they need it.” The latest big money announcement will fund the EDAT over four years to tackle the stubborn problem of emergency wait times. Ontario’s hospitals saw patients wait an average of 2.1 hours for a first assessment in August according to government figures while just 27 per cent of patient visits met the ‘length of stay’ target.
