Emergency Department Medical Directives - Clinical Resources

Implementation date: December 22, 2025

Dr. James Stempien, Provincial Head Emergency Medicine and Gaylene Molnar, Chief Nursing Officer and Executive Director Interprofessional Practice are pleased to share the release of seven new Medical Directives for Investigations in Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centers. The new medical directives will be used in association with a new Clinical Procedure - Initiating Investigations Prior to Patient Being Seen by Most Responsible Practitioner in Emergency Department (ED)/Urgent Care Center (UCC), as Authorized by Medical Directives. 

These medical directives facilitate the provision of safe, timely, and appropriate patient intervention. When patient care investigations are initiated early, it can result in a reduction in ED patient wait times and length of stay and improve patient outcomes. 

These medical directives are not mandatory. The decision to implement these directives in each ED / UCC must be a discussion amongst the leaders and teams who know local department and patient needs the best. Communication to local teams about the use of or decision to not implement is the joint responsibility of Managers and Area Department Leads.  It is the responsibility of clinical team members to know which medical directives are being used in the site they are working in and complete any required training.

As a commitment to continuous improvement and to inform the provincial approach to the development, approval, implementation, maintenance, and evaluation of medical directives in the SHA, our team will review these medical directives in 6 months. We kindly invite any ED team members to send feedback gathered during this time to SHAOrderSets@saskhealthauthority.ca with a subject title for “ED Investigation Medical Directives”.