Investigation of N.B. ER waiting room death complete, but not yet public

New Brunswick’s Horizon Health Network says its own internal investigation of what led to a patient dying in an emergency department waiting room is now complete.

The incident happened July 12 at Fredericton’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital. An eyewitness said a man appeared to be in pain and discomfort for hours as he waited for treatment before appearing to fall asleep.

“The team has met to review the circumstance and we do have recommendations that are forthcoming from that review,” says Margaret Melanson, the interim president and CEO of Horizon Health. “We will be sharing those with those individuals involved and family members as quickly as possible.”

Melanson didn’t give a specific timeline on when the recommendations would be shared.

Premier Blaine Higgs has made a previous commitment to make details of Horizon’s investigation public.

Higgs also said an external review would be ordered if he wasn’t satisfied with the health authority’s own review.

The Department of Health didn’t respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

A new pilot project has been implemented inside the waiting rooms at Horizon’s five regional hospital emergency departments. A health care worker will now be stationed day and night to monitor patients as they go through the triage process at Horizon’s regional hospitals in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, Miramichi, and Waterville.