New data shows a sharp rise in B.C. patients leaving ERs without care, raising concerns over overcrowding, staffing, and health system performance.
Thousands Leaving B.C. Emergency Rooms Without Treatment
A new dataset released through a freedom-of-information request reveals a troubling 86% increase in the number of British Columbians leaving emergency rooms without receiving medical care between 2018 and 2025. The surge is most pronounced in the Fraser Health and Vancouver Island Health authorities, with some regions now reporting patient departure rates more than three times the target threshold.
Alarming Trends in Health Authority Regions
In 2018–2019, 76,157 patients left B.C. emergency departments without being seen by a physician. That number climbed to 141,961 in the 2024–2025 fiscal year. Vancouver Island Health saw the most dramatic rise—jumping from 11,513 to nearly 30,000 patients in that period, a 160% increase. Fraser Health recorded over 64,000 such cases last year, nearly doubling its 2018–2019 total.
Health authorities acknowledge that increased population, staff shortages, and overcrowded hospitals have contributed to longer wait times, prompting some patients to leave before receiving care.
Provincial Response and System Strain
The B.C. Ministry of Health attributes the trend to rising emergency department volumes and a growing number of higher-acuity cases. “Patients are triaged and seen based on the severity of their condition. The sickest are prioritized,” a spokesperson said. However, lower-acuity patients are increasingly walking out without care.
To alleviate pressure, the province has added 727 acute care beds since 2018 and recruited nearly 1,800 new health workers in Island Health in 2024 alone, including over 800 nurses.
Missed Care and Patient Risk
Island Health’s own performance documents acknowledge the crisis. With 7.3% of patients leaving before seeing a physician—well above the 2% target—the authority concedes that overcrowding and inpatient backups are creating dangerous delays. “If a person sought care but left early, it’s possible they didn’t receive the care they needed,” the report reads.
Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health are experiencing similar trends, though the latter saw a slight decline in LWBS (Left Without Being Seen) cases in 2024–2025.
Physician Warnings, Lawsuits, and Violence
The data adds credibility to growing concerns voiced by front-line workers. In June, Dr. Kaitlin Stockton filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation from Fraser Health after warning patients about extreme wait times. Nurses have also reported violent assaults during shifts, citing inadequate safety protocols and staffing.
Doctors of B.C., which represents over 16,000 medical professionals, renewed its call for a province-wide emergency department stabilization plan, citing ongoing physician shortages.
Opposition Criticism and Government Review
B.C.’s opposition Conservatives called the data “devastating,” echoing public frustration with access to emergency care. In response, Health Minister Josie Osborne confirmed the province is conducting a review of every health authority to identify breakdowns in emergency response and staffing.
Meanwhile, the long-term outlook remains uncertain. Although Fraser Health’s population grew only 4.6% over the same period, its patient departures nearly doubled—raising red flags about the health system’s capacity to keep up.
Growing Populations, Growing Waits
Statistics Canada reports an 11% population increase in the Island Health region from 2018 to 2024. Yet emergency capacity hasn’t kept pace. With B.C.’s population expected to grow significantly over the next decade, officials warn that without urgent system reforms, the number of patients walking away from ERs could climb even higher.
