132 ER doctors warned officials last year of 'major risk to patient safety'

More than 100 emergency room physicians warned Health Minister Dorothy Shephard and the two regional health authorities a year ago about the "major risk to patient safety" at ERs across New Brunswick, a letter obtained by CBC News shows.

The doctors expressed "grave concern" about the "unimaginably long waits and poor outcomes" patients face on a daily basis.

They also accused the Horizon and Vitalité health networks of misleading the public about "high patient volumes" causing the long waits in emergency departments, when volumes were actually starting to return to pre-pandemic levels.

"The current overwhelming combination of staffing shortages, access block and systemic misuse of EDs by our health care system has resulted in a provincial emergency care crisis that none of us have ever seen before," said the letter dated Aug. 26, 2021.

Without urgent intervention, the doctors said, they feared "the complete failure of emergency care services in New Brunswick is inevitable."

The revelation comes after a patient died in the waiting room of the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital's emergency department early Tuesday morning while waiting for care.

Witness John Staples said the man, a senior, had been waiting alone in a wheelchair, in visible discomfort for hours when he appeared to fall asleep. It was only during a routine check of people in the waiting room that a hospital employee realized the man had stopped breathing, he said.

Some people had been waiting at least eight hours, said Staples, and he saw a few people leave without being treated while he was there.

The Horizon Health Network has confirmed "an unexpected patient death took place" and says a review is underway.

Opposition politicians are calling for the resignation of the health minister and an immediate coroner's inquest.

In the six-page letter, the 132 emergency room doctors requested an "urgent focus" on the ER crisis with clear direction and support for innovative solutions and process improvements within both health authorities.

They identify four major issues facing emergency services, in order:

The Department of Health, Horizon, and Vitalité did not respond to requests for comments, including what, if any, actions were taken to address the concerns and criticisms raised in the letter.

The New Brunswick Medical Society, which was copied on the letter, shares the concerns expressed by the ER doctors, said president Dr. Mark MacMillan.