When Safety Promotion Impairs Access to Care: Lessons From Endoscopy Across Canada.

Area of Science:

• Medical Policy
• Healthcare Accessibility
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Current conscious sedation policies in Canada frequently mandate a support person for patients post-endoscopic procedures.
• These policies, while aiming for safety, may inadvertently create barriers for vulnerable individuals.
• Existing practices can lead to unnecessary hospital admissions and hinder equitable access to healthcare services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the implications of current conscious sedation policies in Canada.
• To advocate for a more flexible and equitable approach to patient supervision after procedures.
• To reduce healthcare access barriers and promote greater equity in patient care.

Main Methods:

• Informal review of conscious sedation policies across Canadian healthcare sites.
• Analysis of the impact of mandatory support person requirements.
• Argumentative approach based on principles of equity and healthcare access.

Main Results:

• Many Canadian sites enforce policies requiring patients to be accompanied post-procedure.
• These requirements can disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, acting as a barrier to care.
• Current practices may conflict with the goal of promoting equitable healthcare access.

Conclusions:

• Revisiting and adapting conscious sedation policies is crucial for enhancing healthcare equity.
• Increased flexibility and risk tolerance in policy interpretation can improve access to care.
• Addressing common practices that create barriers is essential for a more inclusive healthcare system.