To reduce waiting times, the ZAS Middelheim hospital in Antwerp is launching an appointment system for people who need medical assistance relatively quickly but whose lives are not in danger – a first for Belgium.
Starting on Monday, people can make an appointment at the ZAS Middelheim emergency department. This can be done by telephone, online or through their general practitioner, Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Nieuwsblad report.
This applies to people who have non-life-threatening and low-complexity medical problems that do not require immediate treatment.
These include bruises, sprains, fractures or pain in the arms or legs, problems with the neck or back, but also the care and treatment of cuts, burns, abrasions and problems with the ears, eyes, nose and throat, among other things.
Quicker and more efficient treatment
Every day, an average of 120 people visit the emergency department at ZAS Middelheim. Around 30% of them are eligible for an appointment because their condition is not life-threatening.
"If they come at the agreed time, we can treat them more quickly and efficiently," head of department Dr Hannelore Raemen told Gazet van Antwerpen.
"This allows us to separate two streams of patients: those who need urgent help and those who are not in a life-threatening situation. Instead of treating the latter in an average of 140 minutes, we can now do so in 60 minutes."
The measure is also intended to give emergency department staff some breathing space. Appointments can be made by telephone or online.
For the sake of clarity, everyone is still welcome without an appointment.
