Tim Lang was deeply affected by the odor in the corridors of Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. He visited his mother there last week following her admission for an MRI after experiencing a stroke. Lang’s mother spent three days waiting for the MRI in the hospital corridor. Disheartened by the experience, Lang, who resides in Unity, approximately 170 kilometers west of Saskatoon, has made a commitment to steer clear of Saskatoon for healthcare needs for himself or any family member in the future.
During his time at RUH, Lang observed unsanitary conditions, including the unpleasant smell emanating from patients who had soiled themselves, and the continuous flow of people passing by his mother’s bedside in the hallway. Describing the situation as “brutal,” Lang expressed his dismay over the lack of cleanliness and the overwhelming foot traffic around his mother, a stroke patient, lying in the hallway.
Addressing the overcrowding issue, John Ash, the Vice President of Integrated Saskatoon Health at the Saskatchewan Health Authority, informed the press that the peak of overcrowding had subsided. Ash held a press briefing in response to viral videos shared by Saskatoon real estate agent Lynn Harmon, showcasing crowded hallways at RUH. At its peak last week, 42 patients were awaiting an in-patient bed due to capacity constraints.
To alleviate future overcrowding, the SHA is introducing 109 additional beds in Saskatoon, with twenty beds already operational. Ash attributed the overcrowding partly to an early onset of the flu season. While emphasizing the public’s right to record videos within hospitals, Ash urged respect for the privacy of both patients and staff.
Although Lang’s mother was eventually moved to a private room and showed significant improvement, Lang remains disturbed by the conditions in the hospital hallway, citing inadequate cleanliness and persistent odors. He also noted the presence of individuals at the hospital struggling with substance abuse, suggesting they might benefit from specialized addiction treatment facilities.
