Injured elderly Toronto senior trapped in US because of hospital overcrowding

In question period today, Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns urged the Liberal Premier to address Ontario’s crippling hospital overcrowding crisis after an 83-year-old Torontonian became stranded in Florida because hospitals are too full for him to be transferred home.

“Todd Hrabchak is an 83-year-old Toronto man stuck in a hospital in Florida. His leg is infected. And he can’t stand or walk. Todd and his wife, Lilian, need to come home now. They need to get back to Toronto to be seen by Todd’s own doctors and physiotherapists. But their insurance company can’t find a hospital bed for Todd in Toronto,” said Tabuns.

Overcrowding has been rampant in Ontario hospitals after deep cuts under the previous Conservative government, followed by years of cuts and funding freezes by the Liberals. In addition to people waiting in hospital waiting rooms and hallways, Ontarians have been stranded in foreign countries while hospitals in Ontario have been too full to transfer them home.

Hrabchak was admitted to the Florida hospital early last week after not being able to walk as a result of an infected cut on his leg. He was shivering, shaking, and feverish. Doctors say he may need a pacemaker as a result of the complications.

“Why is this premier doing nothing to stop the overcrowding in our hospitals – so that people like Todd can get the health care they need?" asked Tabuns.

“Joe Glowacki. Stuart Cline. David Ronald. Danny Marchand. Larry Dann. Now Todd Hrabchak. All of these people were told, in recent weeks, that they couldn't come home - because there were no hospital beds available when they faced a health care emergency.”

Ontario hospitals have the lowest number of beds per capita and the lowest funding per patient in hospitals in our country.

“Can the premier tell us right now, how many more Ontarians waiting in pain will it take to convince her that this overcrowding crisis is real?”

Ontario New Democrats have committed to making health care a top priority for an NDP government with commitments to tackle overcrowding and hallway medicine with a plan to fund hospitals to meet inflation, population growth and the unique needs of each community.