Island Health has launched an online call-back service as one of two major changes to improve its problem-plagued COVID-19 call centre.
The centre 鈥� the only way to book a COVID-19 test on the Island 鈥� has been so overwhelmed with callers that many people have had to dial for days to book a swab or gargle test.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just wanting to create another option for people,鈥� said Victoria Schmid, vice-president of pandemic planning for Island Health, adding the health authority is hring more staff for the centre 鈥渁s quickly as possible. 鈥�
The link on Island Health鈥檚 website allows people to leave their name and number for a call back within 24 hours. 鈥淲e are working really hard to hit that,鈥� said Schmid. People can also dial the call centre, but after 160 people are in the queue, a recording is triggered telling callers to ring back.
On Tuesday, the health authority also dropped its 鈥渁ssessment function,鈥� where a nurse assesses each person who dials the call centre for a test. Those calls could be lengthy, said Schmid, and in the end, 92 per cent of people who called were referred for a test anyway. The goal is for at least one-third more people to be dealt with in a day.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just getting people in and we鈥檙e registering them and offering them an appointment,鈥� said Schmid. 鈥淎nd if people have further assessment needs, we鈥檙e just telling them to go to a walk-in or see a general practitioner.鈥�
After days of calling Island Health鈥檚 call centre to book a COVID-19 test without ever reaching a human being, substitute teacher Diana Howell checked the health authority鈥檚 website, only to stumble on the call-back sign-up service.
鈥淚 was just kind of at the end of my rope and I was thinking: 鈥極h maybe I missed something on the Island Health website鈥� and they did have that option for the call-back,鈥� said Howell.
Howell, who felt a sore throat and sniffles come on Thursday night, said she had been calling since Sunday. Between herself and husband Paul Smith, they called an estimated 200 times.
Through texting the call-back service, Howell got an 颅appointment for a West Shore drive-though test this week. By the time she gets results, she鈥檒l have been off work more than a week and her nine-year old daughter will have missed more than a week of school.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little disappointing that people are trying to do the right thing to get a test done and one would hope the process would be a lot smoother, but unfortunately that鈥檚 not the case,鈥� said Howell, who worries the long waits will prompt some people to simply go to work or school, 鈥渂ecause it鈥檚 ridiculous, just ridiculous, to be honest.鈥�
Smith said he was astounded by his wife鈥檚 experience. 鈥淚t鈥檚 surprising to me that they鈥檝e had six months to get a system in place to prepare for a surge in cases and this just seems woefully inadequate,鈥� said Smith.
Schmid apologized for callers鈥� frustrating experiences, but thanked Islanders for being responsible and staying at home while waiting for a test.
HOW TO CALL FOR TESTING
>>> Anyone with symptoms wanting a COVID-19 test in the Island Health region must first phone its call centre at 1鈥�844鈥�901鈥�8442 or sign up for a call-back at . Or text 鈥淛OIN鈥� and your name to: 1-833-206-5729. The call 颅centre and online call-back service are open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Those seeking general COVID information can call the province鈥檚 811 health line or go to the websites of the B.C. Centre for Disease Control () or Island Health (). The Island Health COVID-19 call centre is specifically for those with symptoms seeking a test.