A 69-year-old man, Umberto Mastantuono, tragically passed away after spending 10 hours in the emergency room at Hôpital de la Cité-de-la-Santé in Laval. A recent coroner’s report has shed light on the gaps in emergency department procedures that may have contributed to his death.
Coroner Julie A. Blondin’s findings revealed that Mastantuono suffered a heart attack and experienced delays in resuscitation efforts. Security camera footage captured him collapsing in the waiting area, with a delay in initiating cardiac massage. The report highlighted severe overcrowding in the emergency department, with an occupancy rate of around 173 per cent on the day of Mastantuono’s visit.
Despite being assigned a priority level three during triage, indicating an urgent need for care, guidelines were not properly followed, and Mastantuono was not reassessed while waiting. His widow, Diamante Mastantuono, recalled how her husband’s condition deteriorated while waiting for help, eventually leading to his death.
Following the incident, CISSS de Laval, the health authority responsible for the hospital, acknowledged the operational shortcomings outlined in the coroner’s report. They have since implemented corrective measures, including enhanced staff training on triage protocols and improved reassessment procedures for waiting room patients. Additionally, plans are in place to better prioritize and expedite treatment for high-risk patients during peak traffic periods in the emergency department.
