Guy Pollock, a 71-year-old living with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and immunocompromised, spent over 24 hours in a hospital bed in Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital hallway while being treated for pneumonia. Pollock, a resident of Watrous, Saskatchewan, felt traumatized by the experience, expressing concerns about the potential health risks due to his condition. Despite his discomfort, Pollock acknowledges the efforts of the healthcare workers who attended to him during the ordeal.
Initially admitted to a local hospital in Watrous for pneumonia, Pollock was later transferred to Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon for further treatment. Following his arrival, he was placed in an observation room but was eventually moved to a hallway near the emergency room, where he remained for more than a day before being transferred to Saskatoon City Hospital for a proper bed.
The situation gained attention from the NDP associate health critic, Keith Jorgenson, who visited Pollock and raised concerns about hospital overcrowding in Saskatoon. Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill, while expressing empathy for Pollock’s experience, highlighted the government’s commitment to improving healthcare services by allocating additional resources to Saskatoon hospitals. The recent addition of 109 acute care beds at Saskatoon City Hospital aims to address patient overflow and expedite room placements for better patient care.