Fredericton emergency room doctor Dr. Yogi Sehgal is asking whether it’s time for the provincial government to declare a state of emergency for what he calls a medical system in “crisis mode.”
He said Fredericton, N.B., is decades behind what it should be, with an aging population and too few physicians for a rising demand for health care.
Code Orange
On Aug. 24, Sehgal says, he was called into work after his shift to help with a Code Orange – the number of incoming patients exceeded the department’s normal capacity.
He said there were nine trauma patients in the ER in addition to expected patients. With a shortage of space, he had to assess some patients in what were “essentially hallways.”
He added that patients with less serious ailments weren’t seen for hours, which can be dangerous for people with conditions like appendicitis where delaying treatment can make the situation worse.
“The one that’s OK for a bit but does get into trouble,” he said.
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He wants to know whether a state of emergency might temporarily reduce strain on the system as a band-aid solution while the medical system is revamped.
“Would it benefit us to be in a state of emergency, and if it is, then why wouldn’t a politician do it?” he asked in an interview with Global News.
Provincial state of emergency
According to the Government of New Brunswick’s website, provinces have to show they’ve either exhausted their resources or are without resources before they can get federal help. It also says a state of emergency “has nothing to do” with funding or federal assistance.
In a statement, provincial health minister Bruce Fitch did not say whether the province would consider a state of emergency, but said that dependable public health care is a priority for the department.
He listed a number of measures the department has taken, including recruitment efforts and implementing programs like NB Health Link.
Health care in crisis
Sehgal isn’t the only one speaking out about the challenges being faced within the medical system.
Dr. Paula Keating of the New Brunswick Medical Society also says the province’s health care is in crisis.
“People are feeling desperate at times to seek medical care. Health care providers, front-line workers are feeling over-worked, over-stressed,” she said.
She suggests that with more stabilization and support, it can get better.
“I see hope on the horizon,” she said.
Dr. Sehgal is not so optimistic, and points to recent tragedies as evidence of a broken system.
In 2022, 78-year-old Darrell Mesheau was found dead after staying in the Dr. Everette Chalmers Regional Hospital ER waiting room for nearly seven hours.
Sehgal predicts it will happen again.
“I’m surprised that’s the only one that made the media, because there have been plenty of near-misses or close calls, and not surprisingly. There’s no way we can keep up with absolutely everything,” he said.
As for long-term solutions, he wants more nursing homes, care for seniors and support for people experiencing poverty to reduce the strain on ERs.
“That’s something that needs to change today. That’s not something that can wait five years to change,” Sehgal said.
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