Hospital Unit Ignored Warnings for a Year

Staff concerns about a makeshift hospital unit, the Medical Transition Unit (MTU) at Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, were raised with Horizon Health leadership more than a year before it became public. These concerns, documented in right-to-information requests, spanned infection prevention, temperature regulation, and noise levels.

The MTU, opened in December 2024 to address hospital overcrowding, was intended as a temporary patient holding space. However, internal documents reveal it was used more like a regular unit, with patients often staying for over a week.

Key deficiencies were identified by Horizon's own infectious diseases director and infection prevention lead in a November 2025 briefing. They flagged inadequate ventilation, temperature controls, absence of sterile supply rooms, limited hand hygiene access, and suboptimal waste management, highlighting elevated risks for healthcare-associated infections.

Further concerns arose regarding patient safety during warmer months, with staff noting inadequate cooling solutions. By late summer 2025, serious issues were raised about oxygen equipment, with staff questioning the suitability of the ambulance bay for patients whose conditions could change rapidly.

Noise from ventilation fans also became a staff issue, with reports of headaches and ear sensitivity. Despite assurances that noise levels were within provincial safety laws, a new heating and cooling system was purchased, though its operational date remains unclear.

Ultimately, following public outcry in January, Horizon promised to move patients out of the ambulance bay, which occurred in early April. A standard operating procedure for transferring patients out of the MTU took effect on January 7, 2026.