Earlier this month, a test showed she had an 11 millimeter nodule in her right lung. Everything leads to believe that it would be cancer.
Ms. Ledoux says the surgeon classifies him as a priority case, but cannot operate on him for six to eight weeks, as he only performs three operations a week. Still according to Ms. Ledoux, the reason given by the surgeon is the lack of access to operating rooms and specialized personnel.
She would be 16e on the waiting list for this type of urgent surgery. She has been living in anguish for weeks.
[Le chirurgien] said to me: “if nothing is done, currently, your lifespan is two years”
she says.
« It’s unacceptable, it can’t be, it’s unacceptable, because it’s my life that [est en jeu]. It knocked me down. »
Ms. Ledoux filed a formal complaint with the Office of the Complaints Commissioner of the CIUSSS to denounce the situation.
A complaint against the administration for its irresponsible failure to provide surgeons with access to operating rooms and the specialized personnel required to assist them
can we read in the document of which we obtained a copy.
I ask that the situation change, it is unacceptable, it is inconceivable, it is absolutely necessary that they bring about a change. It’s badly managed, it doesn’t work
lance Joyce Ledoux.
« It is a right that we have to have care. I claim it. »
Come and help us in Fleurimont, please,
she implores the Ministry of Health.
Surgeons denounce the lack of resources
Surgeon Julius Poon would like to operate Mrs. Ledoux more quickly, but access to the operating theater is limited due to the lack of personnel.
If you catch the cancer in time, the prognosis is not so bad, but it goes down quickly,
warns the surgeon.
« The risk of progression, certainly, will lower his life expectancy. Lung cancer is the deadliest and most aggressive cancer. »
The director of the thoracic surgery department, Marco Sirois, considers the situation worrying.% access to the operation block, so we can operate 50% fewer patients, so what had to happen, happened. And there, the patients, it’s a crisis,”,”text”:”Access to the operating room has been radically cut by 50%, so we can operate on 50% fewer patients, so what had to happen, arrived. And there, patients, it’s a crisis,”}}”>Access to the operating room has been radically cut by 50%, so we can operate on 50% fewer patients, so what had to happen, happened. And there, the patients, it’s a crisis, exposes the thoracic surgeon.
« I’m just a little exasperated, because the rest of us, our job is to operate on people, but we’re not given the tools to do so. »
weeks and there was no response,”,”text”:”We mentioned this three weeks ago and there was no response,””>We mentioned this three weeks ago and there was no response,
deplores Marco Sirois.
CIUSSS in labor shortage
The Acting Director of Professional Services at CIUSSS of Estrie-CHUS, Mario Viens, will not comment on the specific case of Ms. Ledoux, but says he sympathizes with this lady and I sympathize with all the others
.
Mario Viens says that the CIUSSS works hard to prioritize these patients. He ensures that everything is done to limit delays. The prioritization of patients on the waiting list is reviewed daily.
% of our capacity since the end of the pandemic”,”text”:”We are not operating at 100% of our capacity since the end of the pandemic””>We have not been operating at 100% capacity since the end of the pandemic
adds the director.
« Tomorrow morning, you give me 20 more rooms, I can’t do much with it… It takes the manpower and we don’t have that manpower right now »
When surgeries cannot be done within acceptable timeframes, solutions can be considered. We can see if these patients could be interested in being operated elsewhere in other regions.
he puts forward.
The Office of the Minister of Health reacts
The Minister of Health was not available to answer questions from Radio-Canada on Thursday. By e-mail, the minister’s office indicates be very sensitive to the testimony reported
.
« It is certain that we do not like situations like this. We must improve access to quality care for all Quebecers. »
The minister asked that priority be given to oncological surgeries and those whose patients wait more than a year
can we read in the email.
The firm recalls that additional investments of $700 million were announced in the budget to accelerate the catch-up of surgeries.
A problem that does not date from yesterday
Passing through Telejournal Estriethe president of the Council for the protection of the sick, Me Paul Brunet, believes that there is a big problem of waiting lists
to obtain surgical operations in Quebec.
Marois, then Minister of Health, had sent people for cancer treatment in the United States. […] Have we done everything possible?”,”text”:”We are dealing with a person with cancer. There’s no reason why we can’t get an operation on time, which is extremely important for the future, for the very survival of the patient. It happened, unfortunately, that patients died on the waiting list. But let us remember that in the 90s, Madame Marois, then Minister of Health, had sent people for cancer treatments in the United States. […] Have we done everything possible?””>We are dealing with a person with cancer. There’s no reason why we can’t get an operation on time, which is extremely important for the future, for the very survival of the patient. It happened, unfortunately, that patients died on the waiting list. But let us remember that in the 90s, Madame Marois, then Minister of Health, had sent people for cancer treatment in the United States. […] Have we done everything possible?
he asks.
« We are dealing with someone who could die if we don’t take care of the person, if we don’t give them the care they need now. I hope that we will use all possible initiatives and that we will find solutions. We found some at the time, why can’t we find any today? »
According to him, the problems of the health network go far beyond the pandemic.
years that I have been a spokesperson. It’s been 50next year that our organization, the Council for the protection of the sick, exists. I am still fighting to ensure people get the care they need at the right time. It’s not because we don’t spend a lot. We spend fortunes in Quebec. What’s wrong?”,”text”:”I’ve been a spokesperson for 25 years. It will be 50 years next year that our organization, the Council for the protection of the sick, exists. I am still fighting to ensure people get the care they need at the right time. It’s not because we don’t spend a lot. We spend fortunes in Quebec. What makes it not work?””>I have been a spokesperson for 25 years. It will be 50 years next year that our organization, the Council for the protection of the sick, exists. I am still fighting to ensure people get the care they need at the right time. It’s not because we don’t spend a lot. We spend fortunes in Quebec. What makes it not work?
he laments.
With information from Marie-Hélène Rousseau