Photo appearing to show elder on hospital floor in Thunder Bay, Ont., raises concerns about Indigenous care
CBC
A photo that appears to show an Indigenous elder lying in the hallway of a Thunder Bay, Ont., hospital is raising concerns about the region's health-care system and treatment of Indigenous patients.
A copy of the image, which was posted online earlier this month but has since been removed, has been obtained by CBC News. The family of the patient involved has asked for privacy as they focus on caring for their loved one. CBC News has chosen not to include the photo in this story out of respect for the family.
CBC News cannot independently verify what happened to the patient. The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) "is unable to comment on patient-specific situations due to patient privacy legislation," says an emailed statement from spokesperson Marcello Bernardo.
Earlier this month, the Canadian Medical Association issued a public apology for harms to First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients and health-care providers across the country.
"Indigenous people enter the health-care system expecting the worst, and I think that's sort of what this [Thunder Bay] case illustrates, unfortunately," said Dr. Alexa Lesperance, an Anishinaabe family physician and vice-president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada.
"I think of how many stories similar to this go uncaptured because of shame or stigma or because of violence that Indigenous people experience on the daily."
When asked about TBRHSC's policies around bed shortages, Bernardo said the hospital "provides assessments based on individual illness severity, injury emergence and acuity scores" to determine which patients are seen first.
As for cultural support, he spoke of the hospital's Indigenous care co-ordinators (ICC), who help Indigenous patients navigate services and advocate for appropriate care.
"For all patients, unfortunately at times they must wait until treatment providers are available and we can appreciate that waiting even a short period can be difficult for people," said Bernardo.
"TBRHSC is continuously working internally, with partners, and with [the Ministry of Health] to find the resources to always be improving care for our patients from across northwestern Ontario."
CBC News also reached out to the ministry. In an emailed statement, the ministry said it can't comment on specific patient cases. However, spokesperson W.D. Lighthall said all hospitals must have a process for patients and caregivers to voice concerns.
Regarding bed shortages, "we are getting shovels in the ground for over 50 hospital development projects across the province, building on the over 3,500 hospital beds we have added since 2020," said Lighthall.
"This includes an addition of 34 beds at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as Minister [Sylvia] Jones and MPP [Kevin] Holland announced last year."
The ministry did not say whether those 34 beds are already in place.
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