Dr. Martin Papineau, the former chief of staff at Hearst hospital, expressed his frustration and anger over the death of a patient before Ontario’s air ambulance could transfer him to the intensive care unit in Sudbury. The incident occurred during the inquest into the deaths of five individuals in Constance Lake First Nation due to a fungal lung disease outbreak in 2021 and 2022.
Papineau, an anaesthesiologist, was summoned to intubate Luke Moore on November 18, 2021, as Moore required specialized care at the Sudbury hospital due to breathing difficulties related to suspected blastomycosis. Despite stormy weather conditions that day, Papineau anticipated an improvement overnight and expected ORNGE air ambulance to transport Moore before morning.
However, Papineau discovered the next morning that Moore had passed away without being transferred, leading to his frustration. The inquest revealed that ORNGE faced challenges landing in Hearst due to a snowstorm preventing timely transport. Although a flight was en route on November 19, Moore tragically passed away while awaiting transportation.
Following Moore’s death, Papineau sought coroner involvement to investigate the delayed patient transfer’s role in Moore’s demise. Despite initial denial, the supervising coroner eventually approved an investigation. Subsequently, Papineau attended to another patient, Lorraine Shaganash, from Constance Lake, who was transferred to Sudbury but died the following day.
In the wake of these tragic events, Papineau, alongside the hospital’s CEO and regional hospital leadership, engaged with ORNGE and Ontario Health to address emergency transfer challenges. ORNGE acknowledged difficulties in meeting the provincial policy’s four-hour critical transfer timeframe and prioritized airlifting Constance Lake First Nation individuals suspected of blastomycosis requiring oxygen support.
Papineau highlighted longstanding challenges with ORNGE and emphasized the need for external guidance during crises. Despite lacking provincial support during the blastomycosis outbreak, Papineau acknowledged the assistance provided by other regional hospitals. While a 2022 meeting with ORNGE discussed air transport improvements, Papineau expressed skepticism about substantial changes.
Transitioning away from his role in the hospital’s emergency department and chief of staff position, Papineau remains uncertain about systemic changes but will continue to provide insights as the inquest progresses.