Patient dies in waiting room outside hospital emergency room

Sep 8, 2021 | 4:05 PM

KAMLOOPS — UPDATE: Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 8), Interior Health issued the following statement about the situation.

“While we cannot speak to this situation, Interior Health reviews all unexpected deaths that occur in a hospital to determine what took place.

“We know these are very difficult situations for all those who are impacted and our thoughts are with those impacted.

“Our priority at Royal Inland Hospital is to ensure emergency department patients are triaged and seen in a timely fashion, and that they receive care based on the urgency of their needs.”

EARLIER: CFJC Today has learned a patient died while waiting to be seen at the Royal Inland Hospital emergency room Tuesday night.

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A source with direct knowledge of the situation told CFJC Today staffing and over-capacity issues resulted in the patient dying in the waiting room outside of the ER.

A spokesman for the B.C. Coroners Service confirmed the agency had been notified of a death at the location. The spokesman said the service is in the process of determining facts.

The source spoke to CFJC Today on the condition of anonymity, and said deaths in the ER waiting room are highly uncommon at Royal Inland Hospital.

CFJC Today has requested further information from Interior Health, and will bring you more information as it becomes available.

by James Peters

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