Seniors' deaths trigger hospital probe

The Interior Health Authority has ordered an independent review of the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail following the recent deaths of an elderly couple.

Ninety-one-year-old Fanny Albo died alone just two days after she was transferred from the hospital to a long-term care home in Grand Forks, more than 100 kilometres away against her family's wishes. The family is welcoming the review.

Fanny and Al Albo had both been patients at the hospital in Trail. (Albo family)

She and her 96-year-old husband, Al Albo, had both been patients at the Trail hospital. Their family had asked officials in Trail to let her stay, so they could remain together.

• FROM FEB. 22, 2006: Senior dies after being separated from husband

The elderly woman's death sparked widespread outrage, and a public apology from B.C. Health Minister George Abbott, who ordered deputy minister Penny Ballem to carry out an investigation.

Ballem's report said Fanny Albo had not received quality care in the last days of her life, and also took issue with the decision to move the frail senior away from her family

• FROM MARCH 1, 2006: Senior didn't receive quality care: report

Al Albo died at the Trail hospital a short time later, of what his family said was a broken heart.

The health authority says the investigation, which will be conducted by an external company, is a response to demands from the public and hospital staff.

• FROM MARCH 15, 2006: Changes coming in wake of elderly woman's death

The couple's son, Jim, welcomes the probe and said whoever conducts the review should be allowed to speak to everyone who works at the Trail hospital.

"Those are the ones that they need to talk [with] to find out what is wrong with the system, and how it should be changed," he said.

"And I really do believe that there are individuals down there as well, who are in jobs that they're not qualified to be in, such as the people who made the decisions for my mother and father. And nobody has been accountable for that as of yet, and it's about time."

The Interior Health Authority still has to draw up the terms of reference, and seek bids for the external review.