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\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nA patient died in Edmonton\u2019s Royal Alexandra Hospital emergency room last week after waiting several hours to be seen by a physician, according to emergency room doctors in Alberta, while Alberta Health Services says the incident is under investigation.<\/p>\n
Doctors say the death is tragically similar to a case at the Grey Nuns Hospital late last year and argue little has changed in Alberta\u2019s overcrowded emergency departments despite repeated warnings and recommendations.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomebody came in by EMS with the high acuity, so C-test 2, which could be a life-threatening condition that should be seen within 15 minutes,\u201d said Dr. Paul Parks, Alberta emergency room doctor.<\/p>\n
Parks said the patient was not immediately assessed after arriving by ambulance last Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things we\u2019ve normalized is we\u2019ll put these patients into an area where we consolidate and put a number of EMS stretcher patients with a nurse and a care space,\u201d said Dr. Parks. \u201cHe didn\u2019t get even offloaded there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alberta Health Services confirmed only that it is investigating the death. Alberta\u2019s Opposition health minister has also shared news of the incident online.<\/p>\n
Parks said the case reminded him of the death of 44-year-old Prashant Srikumar, a father of three who died of cardiac arrest in late 2025 after waiting several hours to see a doctor at the Grey Nuns Hospital.<\/p>\n
In the wake of Srikumar\u2019s death, the province received 16 recommendations aimed at improving emergency room care across Alberta.<\/p>\n
A report released in January found overcrowding and lengthy wait times continue to strain Alberta\u2019s health-care system. Among the recommendations was the implementation of triage doctors to monitor and assess patients waiting in emergency rooms.<\/p>\n
Although the province previously promised to introduce those roles at the beginning of the year, Parks said there has been little visible progress.<\/p>\n
\u201c16 big recommendations, they were system-wide,\u201d said Dr. Parks. \u201cThere was lots of things that could help, and as far as we\u2019re aware, like none of those have progressed, and there is no accountability structure right now where we can find out who\u2019s leading on those recommendations, what progress has been done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really important,\u201d said Dr. Parks. \u201cI think Albertans deserve to hear from our government and our premier what\u2019s happening in our waiting rooms and our big emergency departments.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tA sign for Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital in April 2026. (CityNews) <\/p>\n
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