"Ontario's patient ombudsman says in a new report that medical supply shortages last fall for palliative and home-care patients were triggered by one vendor, but the actions and inactions of a government agency contributed. Patients reported they had to go to hospitals because their home-care supplies ran out, and doctors and nurses reported dying people were unable to get sedatives over a couple of months starting last September."
"Ontario Health atHome, the agency that co-ordinates home and community care, has pointed to new supply contracts that took effect Sept. 24. The patient ombudsman says the issues lessened by December but has given the agency four recommendations to improve, including better oversight and giving patients advance notice of significant service changes. Patient ombudsman Craig Thompson writes in the report that Ontario Health atHome also displayed an "attitude of complacency" about the major procurement project and did not focus on the potential impacts on patients."
Medical supply shortages last fall affected palliative and home-care patients after a single vendor failure was compounded by actions and inactions within Ontario Health atHome. Patients had to seek hospital care when home-care supplies ran out, and dying patients lacked access to sedatives for several months beginning last September. Ontario Health atHome pointed to new supply contracts that took effect Sept. 24. Supply issues eased by December, but the agency received four recommendations to strengthen oversight and give patients advance notice of major service changes. The ombudsman noted an "attitude of complacency" and lack of focus on patient impacts. The organization's CEO at the time was removed and the interim CEO apologized and committed to learning and improving.
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