Letter: Our medical system we have is not working properly

Editor's note: Mr. Laughlin's submission is an open letter to Premier Doug Ford and MPP Vic Fedeli.

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I am writing this letter in support of my mother-in-law who on Friday, December 15 spent six- and one-half hours in the Emergency Department of the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC). Given that she is 94 and suffers from dementia this was an unacceptable set of circumstances.

The background is that on late Friday afternoon (4:30 PM) she reported chest pains and other discomfort to the medical staff at the retirement home where she lives. The staff immediately called my wife to discuss a course of action and it was decided to call an ambulance.

The emergency para-medics determined it would be best to take her to NBRHC (5:15 PM). My wife was called and we left for the hospital to be with her arriving at 5:30 PM. During the next six and one half hours she underwent tests and an x-ray to determine the cause of her pain.

The vast majority of the time at NBRHC was spent waiting with us or other family members in the general waiting area as there was no room in the patient area. During this entire time, a monitor in the waiting area was displaying the information concerning wait times in the NBRHC Emergency Department which were 4.0 hours +/- average and 7.5 +/- hours probable longest.

It must be stressed that the staff at NBRHC are providing the best possible care and service to the patients while being overworked due to understaffing. There are many reasons for this and other hospitals in Ontario to be understaffed but the principal issue in my opinion is the medical system we have is not working properly and the Ontario Conservative Government does not care about the health of my mother-in-law or the health of any other person in this province.

If the current provincial government does not care about the health of Ontario’s citizens, what do they care about?

It would appear that one of their main concerns is if I can purchase beer when I want to. One day before on December 14 / 23 Premier Ford was very happy to announce that in two years just prior to the next election, I would be able to buy beer at a convenience store.

I find this interesting as at the present time within walking distance of my home I can buy beer at a Beer Store, two LCBO outlets, two supermarkets and if I switch to wine there is a wine store.

I doubt if there was one person, of legal drinking age, in the Province of Ontario who wanted to buy a beer on December 14 / 23 that they could not. While on December 15 / 23 the wait times at the North Bay Regional Heath Centre Emergency Department were 4.0 hours +/- average and 7.5 +/- hours probable longest.

As I stated before my mother-in-law is 94 and suffers from dementia. After approximately 6 ½ hours at NBRHC she received the required treatment and was released. At 11:52 p.m. we received a text message from a family member stating, “We’re on our way back home. She’s very upset & confused.”

I fully expect the response to this letter, if there is one, will be a large amount of political speak telling me and everyone who will listen of the vast sums of our money being spent on and the staff being hired for the Ontario medical system.

I have heard the story before. Our money is being wasted. Fix the health care system.

Have a good day Doug & Vic.

Dennis Laughlin
North Bay,