Deaths in The Canadian Hospitals Emergency Waiting rooms. We need to stop this Madness!

By Dr. Abdulwahab Arrazaghi, MD, FABIM, FRCPC

Over the past decade, Canadian healthcare has faced increasing challenges that have led to alarming consequences, particularly in emergency departments. One of the most concerning and heart-wrenching issues is the occurrence of patient deaths in emergency waiting rooms. Long wait times, overcrowding, and systemic inefficiencies have created a dangerous environment where patients who come seeking immediate help are sometimes left without care, resulting in tragic outcomes.

This article highlights the most notable cases of deaths in Canadian hospitals' waiting rooms, providing references, context, and an in-depth understanding of the factors contributing to this crisis.

1. Brian Sinclair (2008) - Winnipeg, Manitoba

Brian Sinclair, a 45-year-old Indigenous man, died after waiting 34 hours in the emergency room of the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. Sinclair, who had a bladder infection and was in a wheelchair, arrived at the ER seeking treatment. Over the course of two days, his presence went unnoticed by medical staff despite being in plain sight of hospital personnel and other patients. Tragically, Sinclair's infection progressed, leading to sepsis and death.

The inquest into his death found severe lapses in communication and systemic neglect. This case brought attention to the treatment of Indigenous patients in Canada's healthcare system and highlighted the critical issues surrounding ER wait times.

Reference: Manitoba Health Inquest Report, 2014

2. Unnamed Patient (2011) - Quebec

In a lesser-publicized case, a patient in a Montreal-area hospital died after waiting several hours without receiving care. Witnesses reported that the individual appeared increasingly distressed but remained unattended in the waiting room. Limited hospital resources and understaffing were cited as significant contributing factors.

Although the name of the patient was not released, the incident spurred calls for immediate reforms in Quebec's emergency services.

Reference: CBC News Reports, 2011

3. Mary Lou Dykstra (2015) - New Brunswick

Mary Lou Dykstra, a 58-year-old woman, died in a Fredericton emergency room after waiting for more than 10 hours. Dykstra arrived with severe chest pain, a known indicator of potential cardiac distress. Despite the obvious urgency of her symptoms, her care was delayed due to the overwhelming number of patients in the department.

Her death reignited debates around the need for better triage systems and the importance of staffing emergency rooms with sufficient personnel to recognize and respond to critical cases quickly.

Reference: New Brunswick Health Council Review, 2016

4. Lillian Toews (2022) - British Columbia

In a recent tragedy, Lillian Toews, a 77-year-old woman, passed away in the waiting room of a Maple Ridge hospital. Toews had been waiting for over 9 hours to see a physician for respiratory distress. Witnesses noted that her condition visibly deteriorated over time, yet there were insufficient staff to attend to her.

This case occurred amid increasing pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospitals faced overwhelming patient loads and staff burnout. Lillian’s death became a symbol of the strain on healthcare systems across Canada.

Reference: Global News Reports, 2022

5. Michael Andrews (2024) - Toronto, Ontario

Michael Andrews, a 62-year-old man, tragically passed away in the waiting room of a Toronto-area hospital after waiting 12 hours for care. Andrews had arrived with severe abdominal pain, a symptom that later was determined to be a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Witnesses described his increasing discomfort and multiple pleas for attention that went unanswered.

This case occurred during a period of heightened patient loads and ongoing staffing shortages. Healthcare professionals cited burnout, lack of resources, and overcrowding as contributing factors to Andrews' death. His family’s calls for accountability have reignited public outrage and demands for immediate reforms in Ontario's healthcare system.

Reference: Toronto Star Reports, 2024

Systemic Causes of Waiting Room Deaths

The aforementioned cases reveal common themes that contribute to deaths in Canadian emergency waiting rooms:

1. Overcrowding: Emergency departments across Canada face a significant influx of patients, often exceeding their operational capacity. This is exacerbated by limited access to primary care services.

2. Staffing Shortages: Hospitals suffer from chronic shortages of nurses, physicians, and support staff, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

3. Inefficient Triage Systems: Delayed recognition of critical cases can result in catastrophic consequences, as seen in many of the incidents described.

4. Lack of Accountability: Despite inquests and reviews, systemic changes to prevent such tragedies have often been slow or insufficient.

Conclusion: A Call for Action

The loss of lives in emergency waiting rooms represents a profound failure of Canada's healthcare system. Patients seeking urgent care should never die while waiting for attention. Addressing this issue requires systemic reform, including better resource allocation, improved triage protocols, and increased accountability at all levels of healthcare administration.

The cases highlighted here must serve as a wake-up call to policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the broader public. Action must be taken to ensure that no patient in Canada loses their life due to a lack of timely medical care.

References:

1. Manitoba Health Inquest Report (2014) - Brian Sinclair Case.

2. CBC News Reports (2011) - Unnamed Patient in Quebec.

3. New Brunswick Health Council Review (2016) - Mary Lou Dykstra.

4. Global News Reports (2022) - Lillian Toews.

5. Toronto Star Reports (2024) - Michael Andrews.