A 44-year-old Indian-origin man died in Edmonton, Canada, after waiting more than eight hours in the emergency room at Grey Nuns Community Hospital. He had reported severe chest pain and was accompanied to the hospital by a client. The man is survived by his wife and three children.
According to Hindustan Times, the deceased, Prashant Sreekumar, began experiencing acute chest pain while at work and was taken to the hospital, where he was triaged and asked to wait. Despite repeated complaints of unbearable pain, he was reportedly only given Tylenol and told to continue waiting.
As reported by The Indian Express, Sreekumar’s blood pressure was recorded at 210 while he waited in the emergency room. An electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed, but no significant abnormality was detected, and he was not seen by a doctor for several hours.
The report highlighted, quoting Sreekumar’s father, that the patient repeatedly told both his family and hospital staff about the severity of his pain, stating, “Papa, I cannot bear the pain.”
When Sreekumar was finally called into the treatment area after more than eight hours, he collapsed and suffered an apparent cardiac arrest. Medical staff attempted resuscitation, but he was pronounced dead shortly after as the report noted.
“We expect better from the hospital and the healthcare system,” said family friend Varinder Bhullar, describing the loss as “shocking and unacceptable.”
The article added that the hospital, operated by Covenant Health, stated it could not comment on the specifics of the case due to privacy reasons but confirmed the matter has been referred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Public concern has grown in Edmonton regarding prolonged emergency wait times, with factors such as seasonal pressures, staffing shortages, and high patient volumes cited the news report said.
Median emergency room visit lengths in Alberta were nearly four hours in 2024, with Edmonton zone waits averaging close to six hours, the highest in the province the document revealed.
“There is nothing more important than the safety and care of our patients and staff,” Covenant Health stated, offering condolences to the family.
The incident has prompted calls for a review of emergency care protocols and has highlighted the need for timely medical attention for patients presenting with acute symptoms the article mentioned.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.