Cancer error proves need for full review of N.L. health system

A Labrador woman who was diagnosed with cancer last July, but wasn't informed of it until last month, wants more than just an apology over what went wrong.

Colleen Whitehorne's test was shipped to a B.C. lab last summer for analysis.

Although the diagnosis was made in July, the results were not returned until October to Eastern Health, the St. John's-based authority that provides many provincewide tertiary care services and oversees much of the cancer care in the province.

Eastern Health said it relayed the results to Labrador-Grenfell Health officials, but they in turn did not inform Whitehorne until January that she has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, Labrador-Grenfell Health said a physician with the authority only received a verbal report on Whitehorne's condition on Jan. 19, or about three months after Eastern Health got it.

"Mrs. Whitehorne was immediately informed that same day," communications director Alison Dower said in a statement. She added the authority received a faxed copy of the report on Jan. 20. More.....

I am bewildered by how easily Eastern Health and for the most part most of the Health Authorities can get away with these kinds of events. It seems there are no blames or accountability here, it must stop!

The most recent episode with regard to Colleen Whitehorne. not being informed of her test results serves to highlight the fact that ineptness and dysfunctionality continue to be the norm at the Department of Health.

It seems the government has been sitting on it's hands waiting for the Cameron Report before addressing any of the concerns raised at the inquiry. Issues like communication, or the lack thereof, could have, and should have, been addressed immediately. There is no valid reason why this issue should be the cause of yet another life threatening debacle.

I have little confidence that this situation will improve anytime soon. I'm not sure wether Minister Wiseman's head is in the sand or up his ass, but he needs to pull in out and put a little effort into doing his job. To expect any sort of accountability from this government is, I think, an exercise in optimism of the most exuberant type.


Brudder