Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 12, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba City Winnipeg free press saturday August 12, 2006 b3 woman seeks answers to Why mom nearly died in Hospital by Martin Cash t he daughter of a patient who almost died because a kidney Stone blockage was misdiagnosed at Concor Dia Hospital says the Hospital is shutting her out in her attempts to find out what went wrong. Tracy Weber believes that at least part of the reason she is still not getting answers about the treatment her Mother received at the Concordia emergency room is because legis lation the province passed More than a year ago has still not been implemented. That legislation will require an investigation and report any time there is a critical incident involving medical care. Family members should to have to play investigators look ing for answers and that is what we Are doing Weber said. Weber smother who was 69 at the time was brought to con Cordia by ambulance in the Early hours of March 26, 2005, with severe pain in her Back and Side. She had recently completed chemotherapy to treat lung cancer and her oncologist had referred her to a urologist who had identified a kidney Stone problem. But Weber said the emergency room staff at Concordia said her Mother Only had an infection. Antibiotics were administered and the family was told to be patient. Weber smother was not seen by a urologist. Weber said after being told virtually nothing for More than 12 hours a doctor from the intensive care unit saw her Mother and told the family she was in critical condition and might be dying. In addition to the kidney Stone blockage that night Weber smother developed a bladder infection and blood infection and went into septic Shock. She was eventually transferred to the Victoria general Hospital where she remained in intensive care for six Days. She has since recovered but Weber said the incident took its toll on her Mother. When she went into the Hospital she was taking one Pill a Day and now she is taking 21.? the province passed legislation in june 2005 called the regional health authorities amendment and the Manitoba evidence amendment act that requires an investigation and report any time there is a critical incident in a Hospital or health care facility. It also prevents a health care worker from being disciplined for coming Forward with information about a critical incident. But the Bill has not been proclaimed and the procedures Are not yet ready. Or. Jon Gerrard Leader of the provincial Liberal party said a formalized province wide system needs to be in place. Waiting 14 months since the Bill was passed is unacceptable he said. Sure there Are challenges but there Are other places with reporting mechanisms in according to a Manitoba health official the Bill will be pro claimed in the coming weeks. Donna Hill a legislative analyst with Manitoba health said there has been an extensive educational process to ensure All regional health authorities Are Able to put together committees and conduct the critical incident reviews in the appropriate Way. The Winnipeg regional health authority has had a policy to review such incidents since 2003. Heidi Graham spokeswoman for the Warha said an opinion was sought on Weber smother Scase but it was not deemed to be a critical clinical incident. We do know that Concordia officials met with Weber a fam ily and have made every Effort to make information available to them she said. The Warha did do a review on the death of Leslie Worthington a father John Klassen who died in Early 2004 at con Cordia after what she believes was poor treatment at Concordia emergency. But Worthington said recommendations made in that review have not been implemented. Things need to change because families should not have to endure what our family and Tracy Weber a family have gone through Worthington said. ;