NC hospitals can now know how long before you are seen by a doctor. Here’s why

State health officials are rolling out a new tool to cut down on long hospital wait times.

The NC Department of Health and Human Services launched an online registry to help hospitals and providers find open beds for patients in need.

“In a moment of crisis, individuals and their families need help to find their way to the care they need quickly,” said NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “A centralized bed tracking system helps patients find providers faster and helps us understand how precious bed resources are being used across the state.”

NCDHHS says more than 250 people across the state are waiting inside hospital emergency departments for behavioral health care every day because a bed tracking system doesn’t exist.

BH SCAN is an online registry that will allow hospital staff to look at a daily inventory of available beds across the state based on multiple search criteria that include demographics, acuity, commitment status and location so that patients can be referred to appropriate treatment.

“People need timely access to inpatient care and hospitals need to be able to free up their emergency departments for others in crisis,” said Kelly Crosbie, director of the Division of Mental Health Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services at NCDHHS.

NCDHHS says more operational beds are needed to address the growing demand for behavioral health care, but this system will help ensure the best use of resources in the interim. Right now, 99 hospitals and community-based crisis providers in the state have BH SCAN, but there will be more facilities that will eventually have the tool.

Here’s a list of local hospitals around Charlotte that now have the tool:

• Atrium Health- Cabarrus, 920 Church St N, Concord, NC 28025

• Atrium Health- Carolina Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203

• Atrium Health- Harrisburg, 9592 Rocky River Rd, Charlotte, NC 28215

• Atrium Health- Huntersville, 16455 Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078

• Atrium Health- Kannapolis, 2711 Ln St, Kannapolis, NC 28083

• Atrium Health- Levine Children’s Hospital, 1000 Blythe Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203

• Atrium Health- Mercy, 2001 Vail Ave, Charlotte, NC 28207

• Atrium Health- Pineville, 10628 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210

• Atrium Health- Providence West, 11516 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277

• Atrium Health- Southpark, 6965 Fairview Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211

• Atrium Health- Steele Creek, 13640 Steelecroft Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28278

• Atrium Health- University City, 8800 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28262

• Atrium Health- Waxhaw, 2700 Providence Rd S, Waxhaw, NC 28173

• Atrium Health- Behavioral Health- Charlotte Emergency Department, 501 Billingsley Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211

• Atrium Health-Behavioral Health- Charlotte East, 501 Billingsley Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211

• Atrium Health-Behavioral Health- Charlotte North, 501 Billingsley Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211

• Atrium Health-Behavioral Health- Charlotte South, 501 Billingsley Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211

• Atrium Health-Behavioral Health- Davidson Fraser Fir, 16740 Davidson-Concord Rd 73 100, Davidson, NC 28036

• Atrium Health- Behavioral Health- Davidson Mt Laurel, 16740 Davidson-Concord Rd 73 100, Davidson, NC 28036

• Atrium Health-Behavioral Health- Davidson River Birch, 16740 Davidson-Concord Rd 73 100, Davidson, NC 28036

• Monarch YFBC, 1810 Back Creek Drive, Charlotte, NC 28213

• Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Adult, 200 Hawthorne Ln, Charlotte, NC 28204

• Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Child & Adolescent, 200 Hawthorne Ln, Charlotte, NC 28204

This story was originally published February 3, 2023 at 8:00 AM.