The patient who died in the Edmundston Regional Hospital emergency room waiting area in December 2022 had been dropped off by their care home without anyone with them, according to documents obtained by Global News.
The details are the result of a New Brunswick Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RTIPPA) claim filed by Global News – after being initially denied the records – which revealed the timeline and circumstances surrounding the death.
The patient, who was reportedly 70 years old, arrived at the Edmundston Regional Hospital at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 7, 2022. Documents translated from French to English say he was mobile and answered questions well upon triage.
Documents say he entered triage alone. Follow-up emails and documents, show the patient was a resident of a care home, unaccompanied on their trip to the ER. “The nurse informed the patient of the waiting time and that if he felt less well, to come in, he would be reassessed,” the documents read, translated from French.