Calgary officials apologize for 2nd waiting-room miscarriage

Health officials in Calgary are apologizing for a second incident at the Peter Lougheed hospital where a woman miscarried in a crowded waiting room with no privacy.

Officials with the Calgary Health Region said Tuesday it will review the case ofErin Wilson, but have promised to bring in social workers to help families cope with the loss of a pregnancy.

Janet Umphrey, chief nursing officer, said the CHR will also set up a phone line for the public to lodge complaints or comments about emergency room services.

'What we're really wanting to do is to hear from more people about how to improve, so we're using it as a learning tool to work with families.' -Janet Umphrey, Calgary Health Region

"What we're really wanting to do is to hear from more people about how to improve, so we're using it as a learning tool to work with families."

Leadership questioned

Liberal leader Kevin Taft is calling for more drastic measures. On Wednesday, he said CHR head,chief executive officerJack Davis, should be fired.

'It's a real indictment of the leadership of the Calgary Health Region.' -Liberal leader Kevin Taft

"It's a real indictment of the leadership of the Calgary Health Region," said Taft. "This isn't happening in Afghanistan, this isn't happening in some MASH unit, this is happening in the richest city in Canada."

Umphrey declined to comment on the specifics of Wilson's case, but it mirrors that of Rose Lundy who also miscarried in the ER three months ago.

After Lundy's experience, the health region vowed to make changes to prevent a similar occurrence.

The health region said it's made good on three promised changes to improve ER services, including a better observation area for patients, an administrator on call and a review of care for women who miscarry.

Umphrey said the cost of providing social work support for patients has also been approved and it is now a matter of doing the hiring.

Wilson, 26, of Strathmore,spent six hours in the emergency area while waiting to see a doctor for severe cramping and bleeding. She says she was nine to 10 weeks pregnant with her first child.

Wilson said she knew there was nothing the hospital could do to save her fetus. She simply wanted some compassion and privacy.

Lundy says she was distressed tolearn of Wilson's experience.

'It brought back a lot of memories and I just thought, when will the message get through?' -Rose Lundy

"It brought back a lot of memories and I just thought, 'When will the message get through'....that it's wrong that someone else should not have to go through something like that and to hear about it less than three months later.' "