Internal memos expose dangerous levels of hallway medicine, overcrowding in Regina hospitals

Health-care workers in Regina hospitals have been treating people in hallways because of bed shortages, but the fire department says this is a dangerous code violation that's putting patients and staff at risk. 

On Wednesday, provincial Opposition health critic Vicki Mowat called attention to this issue by sharing an internal document shared by a whistleblower.

The document included an email from a Saskatchewan Health Authority employee and a memo from the fire inspector.

"We've been talking for some time about hallway medicine and how it is completely unacceptable that we're treating people in beds, in hallways, in waiting rooms, because there simply isn't space in the emergency room and in the rest of the hospital," Mowat said.

"[The internal document] really highlighted the failures of this government and the fact that we need to make changes now."

The email obtained by the NDP was written by emergency medical services director Glen Perchie to other staff.

"I know there is a lot of frustration with the current state of offloads in Regina. Please know that your EMS leadership team shares your frustration," he wrote.

Perchie added that EMS and ER department leadership have "escalated these concerns, as the issues driving the over-capacity are complex and require systemic action beyond the influence of our program areas."

He also wrote that SHA has received a "shot across the bow" from the Regina Fire Inspector, because placing patients and equipment in hallways is in contravention of the national fire code.

In a memo, a Regina fire inspector said this has been an ongoing issue at both hospitals in emergency rooms and connecting corridors.

"We can appreciate the ongoing challenges your organization is facing with staff shortages, influenza season, and limited space issues within your facilities, however, we cannot look the other way when there are serious fire code violations that is putting your patients and staff at risk within these vulnerable facilities."

He wrote that it is the responsibility of the SHA to address this matter immediately.

"In a fire you need to be able to evacuate and move people quickly and that just starts to congest," said Regina fire chief Layne Jackson in response to questions about the memo. 

Jackson said prevention is an important pillar of the fire department, so if it spots concerning issues it will call for them to be addressed.