Two recommendations and several follow-ups were made by the Québec Ombudsman, who had received a report concerning the emergency department of the Santa Cabrini Ospedale Hospital, in Montreal, for people who remained on a stretcher for more than four days.
Waiting times at this hospital’s emergency room far exceed the established targets, according to the Québec Ombudsman’s investigation.
Several patients would have remained between four and nine days on a stretcher in 2020-2021, when the Ministry of Health and Social Services requires that an emergency stay not exceed 24 hours.
“The Public Protector’s attention was drawn to the average length of stay in the emergency room on a stretcher at the Santa Cabrini Ospedale Hospital (the HSCO) which had increased from 19 hours to 26 hours between 2019-2020 and 2020 -2021”, is it possible to read in the report.
The situation in the emergency room has reportedly worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with beds that have been closed due to lack of staff and to maintain an adequate level of care.
Two recommendations have therefore been made to the Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS) of the East-of-the-Island of Montreal, which says it is aware of these issues.
The Québec Ombudsman is asking for an assessment of the impacts of the deployment of the interactive bed management board, as well as an assessment of the impacts of the implementation of the Early and Joint Discharge Planning project.
Follow-ups are also required on the data that testifies to the situation in this emergency room, but also on the rate of redirected clients and the time between the request for hospitalization and the departure from use for the care unit.
The CIUSSS is committed to implementing these recommendations and responding to requests for follow-up.