The Ontario Health Coalition is joining the call for a coroner’s inquest into the death of Reilly Anzovino after a Boxing Day car accident. Ms. Anzovino was taken by ambulance to Welland because the closest emergency department in Fort Erie was recently closed due to budget cuts. She passed away prior to arriving at the hospital. This is the second death since the emergency department closures at Fort Erie and Port Colborne, raising questions about whether these changes have contributed to avoidable fatality.
“This raises the issue of the human costs of hospital budget cuts across Ontario,” said Natalie Mehra, Director of the Ontario Health Coalition. “Hospital officials, consultants and the government have consistently downplayed the risks associated with closing small communities’ emergency departments. They have even tried to sell the cuts as improvements and quality care.”
Ambulances are now directed to the Welland hospital 43 km away. Since ambulances cannot carry blood – often needed in car accident traumas – there is widespread concern in the community that the removal of the emergency department in Fort Erie may be a contributing factor in Ms. Anzovino’s death.
Prior to the closure of the Emergency Departments in Niagara, the Ontario Health Coalition conducted in-depth interviews with 50 paramedics across Ontario. The paramedics were unanimous in their concern about local ER closures. All stated that ambulances cannot replace a hospital emergency department.
OPSEU Diablogue 