Health-care worker says man's death while waiting in Nanaimo ER could have been prevented

A health-care worker says they believe a man's recent death while waiting for care in the emergency room at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital could have been prevented.

The source, who works at the hospital, tells CTV News that the middle-aged man arrived at the emergency room on Monday seeking urgent help.

The health-care worker, who is sharing their story anonymously out of fear of losing their job, says the man was suffering from a condition that could have been treated if he'd been helped in time.

But instead, it's alleged that the man was forced to wait in the emergency room for three hours before he died.

The whistleblower tells CTV News that about 50 people were in the waiting room and the man was in obvious need of urgent care. However, because of a lack of staff, he didn't get that care in time.

Island Health calls the man's death tragic, but disputes some of the details.

The health authority says the man waited in a "monitored area" of the emergency room for less than two hours and that he was attended to during that time.

Island Health says he received an early triage assessment, treatment and testing but that his health "very rapidly" declined.

"The patient got prompt attention," said Dr. Ben Williams, chief medical executive and vice president of medicine and quality for Island Health.