A couple from Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac in the Laurentians regrets waiting hours to see a doctor… only to have to leave due to an emergency.
“I find it very careless and unprofessional,” Karen Williams, 72, told Global News.
It all started on March 29, when her husband Brian woke up in the middle of the night with difficulty breathing. After being examined at Saint-Eustache Hospital, the 75-year-old man was referred to a specialist at Sacré-Cœur Hospital.
The only information the couple had was the name of the hospital and the appointment time. In addition to having trouble finding parking, the couple had to search for the exact meeting spot, so they arrived 30 minutes late, English-speaking media reported.
“It took an hour, three different sites and five different people to figure out which clinic to go to and which doctor to consult,” the septuagenarian said.
And the waiting began. After spending an hour and a half in the waiting room without asking anything, the woman went to the reception desk to ask questions. He was told “Dr [avait] Urgently summoned and [ils ne savaient pas] How long has it been? [prendrait]”.
“Use Your Head”
What is most confusing to Karen and Brian Williams is that they were not informed or offered another appointment.
“People shouldn't have to sit there for two or three hours without being informed about the situation,” the woman insisted.
“Use your head, go to people with your heart. How long, two minutes?” She added her husband.
Beatrice Gojian, CIUSSS spokeswoman for the northern part of the island of Montreal, declined to comment on a specific case. However, he clarified that patients can file a complaint.
“If this has not already been done, users can contact the local complaints commissioner at any time and ask for assistance or file a complaint,” he said. The organization is independent and its services are free and confidential.
