MOOSE JAW – Documents obtained by the NDP through freedom of information (FOI) laws have revealed some examples of extreme wait times at Moose Jaw’s Wigmore Hospital emergency room. In some cases, patients were waiting nearly six hours.
“This John Black LEAN designed and operated hospital is failing patients.”
“Can you imagine showing up at an ER and being told you need to be seen by a doctor within 15 minutes – then waiting and waiting for four-and-a-half hours?” asked, Opposition Critic for Health, Seniors and Women, Danielle Chartier. “Plus, who knows how long you wait to actually see a doctor when you finally get moved into an examination room.”
The documents released by the NDP highlight 57 cases of extended wait times recorded since the emergency room’s opening.
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The recorded wait times far exceed the standard set by the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS).
In an emergency room, patients are assessed and given a CTAS level. Level 1 is the worst – resuscitation. Patients assessed at Level 2 (emergent) need to be seen by a physician within 15 minutes, according to the national standard.
Documents show that on Oct. 26, two Level 2 patients waiting four and a half hours and three hours respectively. Another Level 3 patient was waiting nearly six hours.
Minister of Health, Dustin Duncan said these cases are uncommon, but admitted there is room for improvement.
“94% of the time patients are seen within the Canadian benchmarks. It’s the 6% that weren’t that obviously are a concern.”
Laurie Albinet, Five Hills health region VP of Clinical Services shares those concerns, but said hospitals investigate internally any time there are extreme wait times.
“Even though we meet the provincial benchmarks, there are outliers as you’re hearing about today. We hear about them as well. We respond and always investigate and follow up with our patients or families that bring these concerns to us.”
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The province is continuing to work towards their goal of reducing wait time in emergency rooms by 60% in 2019.
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