Another man has died while waiting for care at hospital: Alberta Medical Association

The Alberta Medical Association says another patient has died while waiting for care at a major hospital.

Dr. Brian Wirzba, president of the AMA, says the man arrived at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital on May 8 and died several hours later in a waiting room.

Alberta Health Services says it is investigating and it can’t release further details due to privacy reasons.

The man’s death comes after Prashant Sreekumar, who was 44, died at Edmonton’s Grey Nuns Community Hospital in December after waiting nearly eight hours.

Alberta’s government ordered a judge-led inquiry into Sreekumar’s death soon after, and also announced it was creating a program in which physicians would help triage patients.

Wirzba says that triage program is still not in place and the latest death underscores how overworked Alberta’s health-care system is.