Coroner says wait times at Trois-Rivires hospital where man died were unacceptable

A Quebec coroner says wait times at a Trois-Rivires, Que., hospital last February were unacceptable whenan elderly man died in an ambulance while awaiting treatment.

Coroner Francine Danaisreleased herreport looking into the Feb. 9 death of87-year-old Jean-Guy Rancourt, who spent almost two hoursin the ambulance garage of the Saint-Marie Hospitalbefore he went into cardiac arrest.

He had requested not to be resuscitated and was pronounced dead.

Danais says Rancourthadn't even been triaged by the time he died, which, she says, is a major concern.

"It is worrisome to note that, after more than an hour-and-a-half of waiting in the hospital's garage, Mr. Rancourt's condition had still not been assessed by a nurse in order to assign him a priority rating," she said.

In her report, Danaiscites the regional health authority, which said the hospital's emergency room hadanoccupancy rate of 140 per cent when Rancourt's ambulance arrived, and his was one of nine ambulances waiting to get in.

There were three physicians on duty as well as three nurses working in emergency room triage that day.

Although Danais denounced the long wait times, she says Rancourt was in a terminal state bythe time the ambulance was called. She concluded that he died of natural causes.

The report states Rancourtwasseverely dehydrated and malnourished when he got to the hospital, having spent weeks lying on the couch and refusing to eat or drink, according to thecaregiverwho called the ambulance that day.

Rancourt had also refused to undergo dialysis ortake his medications, which the coroner says would have been essential to his survival.

Rancourt was suffering from kidney failure andanemia, as well as chronic issues with his lungs and heart.

"These elements, in addition to other health problems, were determining factors in Mr. Rancourt's chances of survival much more than the wait," Danais said.

The coroner says theCentre intgr universitaire de sant et de services sociaux de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Qubec(CIUSSS-MCQ)has already implemented steps to improve its emergency room protocols and she therefore has no new recommendations.

TheCIUSSS-MCQdid not immediately respond to a request for comment.