CHEO launches Beacon AI tool to sort emergency cases and cut wait times

CHEO rolled out Beacon, a digital screening tool accessed on mobile devices, to funnel non-emergency cases away from its crowded emergency department and into an on-site urgent-care clinic at the Smyth Road campus.

When families arrive at the emergency department, caregivers scan devices and complete the brief questionnaire. The tool flags cases that may be better served at the clinic — Sylvia Graham, director of emergency services at CHEO, noted that 40 per cent of all patients attending the emergency department are low acuity. Referrals only happen when clinically appropriate and when the clinic has capacity.

The wait time to be seen by a doctor at CHEO averages around 2.1 hours, slightly above the provincial average of two hours. Seven to 14 per cent of patients in the emergency room currently leave without being seen. Beacon provides real-time updates and wait-time estimates to give families better information about what to expect.

The tool does not replace the triage nurse or other in-person care. All clinical decisions remain with CHEO physicians, nurses and care teams, and families stay under CHEO's care throughout their visit regardless of screening outcome. Data collected will help the hospital make operational decisions and react to predicted trends.

Beacon is one of 19 AI tools currently approved for use at CHEO. The hospital's AI team has already identified better treatment routes for patients with asthma and genetics disorders. "This tool is an important upgrade in how we deliver care," said Vera Etches, CHEO's president and CEO. "It gives clinicians better information to help deliver timely, patient-centred care, and it helps families get the right care in the right place at the right time." The tool has had significant use among patients since launch.