WATCH ABOVE: An Edmonton man says he was turned away from a walk-in clinic because he didn’t have his Alberta Health Care Card. Hours later he was in emergency surgery with a collapsed lung. Kendra Slugoski reports.
EDMONTON – No health care card, no service. That’s what Randy Cusack, 28, says happened to him when he went to a local walk-in clinic for help after suffering from severe chest pains for five days.
Cusack says he was turned away by the front desk staff because he didn’t have his health care card. He didn’t even get a chance to speak to a doctor.
“They didn’t even say sorry they just said there’s nothing we can do for you.” adds Cusack.
Cusack’s mother, Shelly, is a nurse. He called to tell her about his symptoms and she told him to go straight to the hospital. Luckily he did, because hours later Cusack was in emergency surgery with a collapsed lung.
Cusack and his family are sickened by the thought of others being turned away.
“I went into nursing to care for people and it doesn’t matter who they are or what they are or anything. For someone to go for help and be turned away because they don’t have an Alberta Health Card, I think it’s just disgusting,” says Shelly Cusack.
Randy’s been in the hospital since Tuesday night and is on oxygen as his lung mends.
“It’s supposed to heal itself, but if not I will have to go for surgery to sew the lung back together.” he says.
“He’s alive and that’s the good thing.” explains Shelly.
The company that manages the private walk-in clinic in the South Common Superstore says Cusack didn’t present any urgent medical conditions at the time.
The Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons says private clinics can turn away patients if it’s not an emergency. The college says if a complaint is launched it will investigate, and work with a clinic to improve their systems.
With files from Kendra Slugoski, Global News.
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