Normand Meunier, a 66-year-old quadriplegic man who had developed severe bedsores which deteriorated quickly while he waited for treatment in the emergency room of Saint-Jérôme Hospital. In response to his unendurable suffering, he requested MAiD. His formal request for MAiD was granted on March 4, 2024, and he died just over three weeks later on March 29, 2024. His death has led to a public inquiry. This investigation will focus on why he received such inadequate medical care that he was able to slip into a deteriorating condition.
As of January 2024, Meunier would spend four days on a gurney in the ER. Sadly, he was not afforded the luxury of having that specialized mattress, which is crucial to his care. His dedicated nurse focused on healing current ulcers and stopping new ones. A lack of equipment and miscommunication between hospital personnel would foil her attempts.
According to reports, Meunier’s health declined quickly because of these failures. Following a string of hospitalizations from the end of 2021 through 2022, he lost the ability to walk and developed bed sores. By the fall of 2023, those sores turned incurable.
Hospital Stay and Its Consequences
Meunier’s experience at Saint-Jérôme Hospital opened her eyes to the alarming inadequacies of custodial care. The stay in the emergency room did not meet his needs. He didn’t get the appropriate treatment for his bedsores.
“Nobody was reacting,” – Sylvie Brosseau, Meunier’s wife.
In fact, during his four-day hospital stay, Meunier needed to be turned every two hours to avoid additional complications. The hospital staff dismissed his concerns about the mattress. Due to this lack of care, his bedsores deteriorated severely.
The inquiry will consider how hospital practices might be changed to avoid similar circumstances arising again in the future. The investigation will focus on whether improved equipment and communication between caregivers may have changed the result for Meunier.
Coroner’s Findings and Recommendations
Quebec coroner Gisèle M. Côrteau has issued a public report following Meunier’s preventable death. The report further underscores serious problems with our national health system in caring for such complex patients. The coroner reiterated that all injuries that Meunier suffered either developed or deteriorated during his time in the hospital.
“An analysis of his medical history reveals that all the identified injuries emerged or worsened during hospitalizations,” – Coroner’s report.
The report’s 31 recommendations focus their urgent attention on ensuring patient-centered care for patients with extreme mobility challenges. The coroner is an enthusiastic advocate for a total-health care approach. This model should include artists, performers, and multiple clinical specialties rather than relying on a single medical specialty.
“The prevention and management of these complications are not the responsibility of a single medical specialty,” – Coroner’s report.
The coroner said she hoped that these recommendations would galvanize long overdue transformations in the healthcare system.
Family’s Response and Call for Change
So Brosseau found the treatment her husband received to be “totally negligent. Since then, she has become a passionate advocate, inspiring change within and outside the healthcare system. Through these reforms, she hopes that her husband’s experience will inspire similar compromises to avoid tragedies like this in the future.
Brosseau’s resolve demonstrates the need for accountability in our healthcare workplaces. She expressed her sincere desire that systemic changes will be implemented to provide the appropriate level of care for patients in these highly vulnerable populations.
“I have genuine hope that a comprehensive approach inspired by my recommendations will bring about a wave of change,” – Coroner’s report.
