FREDERICTON-
The death of a patient in a Fredericton hospital emergency department waiting room this week is prompting calls for major improvements to the province’s health care system.
John Staples, a residential support worker, witnessed the incident early Tuesday morning while waiting with a client at Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital and posted details on social media.
He said the man seemed to be in a lot of pain and discomfort as he waited for hours in a wheelchair, but eventually seemed to fall asleep.
“The ER went out to check on people and he checked on him,” Staples said in an interview Wednesday. “He went back to the ER in a very professional way, not to raise any alarm and he came back with a few other people. They took him to the back and as they did so they called a Code Blue,” he said, referring to the hospital code. due to cardiac or respiratory arrest.
“Unfortunately, the gentleman passed away right there with us. He was literally on the doorstep of getting medical care and he didn’t get it.”
Staples said he doesn’t blame the busy ER staff, but he feels something is wrong with the health care system and changes are needed.
“I think there needs to be a very long, deep look at what we’ve put in place for health care. Why do people die in waiting rooms? I saw people walk out of the ER unseen because they were frustrated. with the long waiting time,” he said.
Opposition Liberals responded to the patient’s death by calling for the resignation of Health Minister Dorothy Shephard and for funds to hire more hospital staff.
“Unfortunately, given the incompetence of the Higgs government and, in particular, the health minister in addressing the serious health care crisis in this province, this dire outcome was a very real possibility,” said Liberal health critic Jean-Claude D’Amours in a statement Wednesday.
“Prime Minister Higgs must stop complaining to the federal government, demand that his health minister resign, and continue to save our health care system before it’s too late,” D’Amours said. Higgs was in Victoria this week, where Canada’s prime ministers asked the federal government to discuss the future of health care financing.
Shephard released a statement to say that she is saddened and concerned about the patient’s death, adding that she has requested a review of the incident.
“I have no doubt that all New Brunswickians and all of our healthcare workers are affected by this story. We all want to know that when we seek help, it will be there and that it can be provided,” Shephard said.
Dr. John Dornan, president of Horizon Health Network, which oversees the hospital, issued a statement confirming the unexpected death of a patient and said a review process has been launched.
Staples’ Facebook post describing the incident generated a lot of comment. “People shouldn’t have to die waiting to be seen,” one person wrote. “Upstairs, wake up! This is Canada!” Another said: “This is not a problem of the current government. This is a problem that rests on the shoulders of every elected politician in this province for the last 25 years.”
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on July 14, 2022