THUNDER BAY -- A Thunder Bay woman is alleging a human rights violation at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, after she was denied permission to see her mother in the emergency department.
A hospital spokeswoman, however, says it needs to follow protocols to maintain safety and patient care in situations such as when the emergency department is extremely busy.
According to Linda Farinas, she rushed to the hospital Saturday after receiving a call that her 92-year-old mother had fallen ill and had been taken there by ambulance.
"My mother is almost totally deaf, suffers from dementia and cannot speak for herself," Farinas said. "When I got there I was informed that I was not allowed to go back there (to the emergency department)."
A sign posted at the emergency reception desk states "The ED is unusually busy. Visitors have been temporarily suspended."
Farinas said her mother "was stuck back there for hours, afraid and alone, wondering where her family was and why nobody was there to see her, and who was going to help her. She was in a great amount of distress being alone, and it was undue and unnecessary."
She said numerous other people in the waiting room found themselves in a similar dilemma.
"One woman came rushing in as her husband had called her and said he had had a heart attack," but she was refused permission to be with him, Farinas said. Everyone was told they would be called into the ED "if we were needed," she said.
Lisa Beck, director of the hospital's trauma program, critical care and emergency services, said in an interview Tuesday that the emergency department is currently dealing with a large patient volume and overcapacity issues.
"Visitor restrictions remain in place, which means that visitors who may be an inquiring neighbour or an inquiring family member, but not involved in the care of the patient, will not be allowed in the ED in order to maintain a safe environment for patients and staff," Beck said.
Beck stated that the hospital normally allows care partners into the emergency department, "those individuals who are involved in the patient's circle of care, that's engaged in providing care to that particular family member."
Hospital officials won't discuss the details of any specific case, citing patient confidentiality, but Farinas told tbnewswatch.com no one ever told her she had to be identified as a care partner, or didn't qualify as a care partner, when she asked to see her mother.
The hospital website describes a care partner as an individual determined by the patient, who "may be a family member, friend or significant other who provides physical, psychological, or emotional support."
Farinas said the visitor ban she encountered resulted in her mother being distressed and afraid.
"That is mental abuse and a violation of human rights," she said.
"I understand there has to be restrictions sometimes. There are too many people back there. It gets crowded. It's a disruption...But my mother just needed to see my face, to see that I was there, and I could have waited in the waiting room. Instead she was terrified,"
Beck said it's important that hospital staff and patients understand the difference between care partners and visitors.
"Even though we have a visitor restriction in the ED, we do believe it's important for care providers and partners to be in with their family members. Consistency and education is important so everyone understands the differences and understands the challenges we face trying to manage the patient volumes and maintain safe, quality care," she said.
Farinas was allowed to see her mother after several hours had passed. Following tests, her mom was released from the hospital later that day.
On Monday, Farinas returned to the hospital to file a formal complaint.
