Manitoba health authorities are currently investigating a serious incident involving an 82-year-old woman who passed away after spending more than 30 hours in emergency departments at Grace and St. Boniface hospitals in Winnipeg. Genevieve Price’s family reported that she initially sought care at a minor injury clinic due to a swollen hand and was subsequently transferred to Grace Hospital for IV antibiotics and more intensive treatment. However, despite her deteriorating condition while waiting on a stretcher in the hallway, she was later moved to St. Boniface Hospital where she tragically succumbed.
Expressing her anguish in a social media post, Michelle Price, Genevieve’s daughter and a nurse, emphasized the need for better healthcare services, stating that both her mother and their family deserved improved treatment. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, responsible for both hospitals, has confirmed the investigation of Genevieve Price’s death as a critical incident, defined by serious, unintended harm to individuals within Manitoba’s healthcare system.
In response to the incident, Kerstin Jordan, the chief officer for nursing, allied health, and quality at the health authority, extended condolences to the Price family and announced the initiation of a comprehensive review to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, addressing the media, described Genevieve Price’s passing as a tragedy and stressed the need for a thorough investigation beyond the critical incident review. Asagwara emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring the prevention of such distressing incidents, stating that the situation was unacceptable and should never be endured by any family in Manitoba or elsewhere.