As Saskatchewan continues to struggle with health-care capacity across the province, one immunocompromised palliative care cancer patient was left on a stretcher in a Saskatoon hospital hallway for four days.
Lorraine Kendel, a Saskatoon resident, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2023 and has been undergoing chemotherapy. Her husband, Dennis, is a former physician and luckily has been able to help his wife with her supportive care at home.
A photo of Lorraine and Dennis Kendel.
Dennis Kendel
“(Chemotherapy) has slowed the progress of the disease, but she is getting progressively weaker and more debilitated week to week,” Dennis said.
Dennis said Lorraine was registered with palliative home care services about six weeks ago.
“We haven’t had to use that yet, but it is an excellent service available if we need it.”
He said a recent drop in Lorraine’s cell count on Tuesday changed everything, with Lorraine requiring hospitalization.
With the constant strain in Saskatchewan’s health care system, Kendel said he was worried.
Lorraine is also at a high risk of lethal infection, adding to the concern. Kendel said he took Lorraine to St. Paul’s Hospital emergency room, saying he was told that Lorraine would get transferred to Royal University Hospital’s medical oncology unit once an opening occurred.
Lorraine Kendel laying on a stretcher in a hospital hallway, waiting for room at Royal University Hospital.
Dennis Kendel
“They said there were no beds available,” Dennis said in a phone interview, unable and unwilling to leave his wife’s side.
Because Lorraine is immunocompromised, doctors managed to find her a closed room in the St. Paul’s Hospital emergency room on Friday.
“As you walk through the hallways here at St. Paul’s emergency department there is stretcher after stretcher lined up along the walls… and most of the people in them look pretty ill.”
Kendel said nursing staff have told him that about 40 per cent of the people laying in stretchers in those hallways are waiting to be admitted.
He said this was a stressful environment for health care staff trying to take care of patients, and a very uncomfortable setting for patients, noting there was little to no privacy.
My wife is receiving superb care from the RNs & other staff at St. Paul's ER. They are highly competent, caring and compassionate. I want to commend them for their capacity to sustain such positive care in circumstances of great strain ❤️(8/8)
— Dennis Kendel (@DennisKendel) July 4, 2024
That being said, Dennis wanted to thank the staff at the hospital for doing what they could.
“I just want to commend the staff at the emergency department here, they are giving excellent care to her, but this isn’t the place she really needs to be.”
He spoke about his previous experience being part of the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council and offered his insight into what he feels needs to be addressed in the health care system.
“There is no doubt we are lacking adequate capacity.”
He suggested more funding is needed to create that capacity, but that this also requires staff to care for this extra capacity.
“We just don’t have enough beds or staff.”
Problems within the health care system in Saskatchewan have been ongoing for years now, issues have been raised by Saskatchewan’s provincial auditor, nurses have rallied against the worsening conditions, the Saskatchewan Health Authority announced a capacity plan for hospitals, and emergency rooms have closed.
Global News has reached out to the Saskatchewan Health Authority for comment.