Patients leaving overcrowded Nova Scotia ER without being seen: managers
An emailed letter to staff of a Halifax-area hospital says that the pressure on the emergency room has risen to the point where there's no space to assess patients and one in 10 people aren't seen before they give up and leave.
Two managers at the Dartmouth General Hospital say in the statement obtained by The Canadian Press that influenza and respiratory syncytial virus are combining with other factors to block the flow of patients through the ER.
The email was sent Thursday to a long list of managers in advance of a virtual town hall meeting of hospital staff to be "hosted by site co-leads" on Monday.
It says "there is nowhere to assess patients" entering the hospital's emergency system, and adds -- underlined and in bold -- that "patients are dying in the waiting rooms" at Dartmouth General Hospital as well as other sites.
Nova Scotia Health spokesman Brendan Elliott said in an interview the agency wished to clarify nobody has died in the waiting room, but rather the managers meant patients' health was "growing significantly worse" as they waited for long periods to be seen.
"We cannot provide additional information for privacy reasons. The statement 'as well as other sites,' refers to media reports of incidents in other parts of Canada," added Elliott.
While it is well known that emergency rooms have been crowded and struggling to cope -- as reported by Nova Scotia Health's own online monitoring system -- it is rare for managers to make such blunt statements of the problems in the province's hospitals.
The letter thanks staff for their efforts coping with the exhausting pace of recent weeks and notes 10 per cent of emergency department patients are "leaving without being seen, including patients with chest pain and sepsis (the body's response to a strong infection)."
It also says the ambulance system is backed up, as paramedics must remain with patients in hallways, creating "several-hour wait times" to respond to 911 calls.
The email says that several steps are being taken to reduce the waiting times at the emergency room, including the cancellation of surgeries over the past week "outside of cases that are considered the highest need."
According to the note, the hospital has also opened up an additional space in a new wing of the hospital to handle overflow from the emergency room.
However, the email says despite these and other measures, the emergency department is struggling to ensure timely access to care.
It says, "last weekend we were in a situation where the emergency department had no capacity to respond to resuscitation if needed," and there are shortages of staff to cope with overflow areas.
"Given this, we feel that as a potential next step we may need to consider placing patients in hallways 24 hours a day," the note says.
"We know this is not ideal, but nothing is ideal in these circumstances, especially for our patients and the community when there are no emergency services ... to respond."
The note was signed by the hospital's health services director, Lori Sanderson, and its director of medicine, Dr. Natalie Cheng.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.