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Manitoba Deaths Linked to Critical Care Delays
29 Mar
Summary
- Five deaths ruled critical incidents experienced care delays.
- Two patients faced delays accessing care; one transfer was missed.
- Winnipeg ER wait times are longest since spring 2019.
Between April and September of last year, five out of 16 Manitobans whose deaths were classified as critical incidents experienced delays in their care. The province's recent patient safety reports detail 59 such incidents.
Two of these critical incidents involved delays in accessing care, including a missed opportunity to transfer a patient to a higher level of care promptly. Three other patients died after facing delays in receiving treatment or responses to their deteriorating medical conditions.
These disclosures come as Winnipeg's emergency departments report the longest median wait times recorded since at least spring 2019. In February, the median wait exceeded four hours, with one in ten patients waiting over 11.5 hours. Experts suggest these ER pressures indicate systemic issues, such as insufficient staffing and access to primary, home, and long-term care.
