An investigation is underway at an eastern Ontario hospital after staff allegedly refused to leave the hospital and come to the aid of a woman in a car parked outside.

The family of Norma Brown, 91, said the elderly woman suffered a heart attack on Saturday afternoon, prompting them to rush her to the Winchester District Memorial Hospital in Winchester, Ont., some 50 kilometres south of Ottawa. Margaret Brown said staff told her and her husband to call 911 to help get her mother out of their car. (CBC)

They said they were shocked when staff refused to come out to help carry Brown inside.

"I ran into to get help because my husband and I could not lift her out of the van and the receptionist said they are not allowed to leave the building and that I would have to call 911 to get help to lift her out of the van," said Margaret Brown, her daughter.

Margaret Brown said an ambulance was already parked outside, but the family still had to call 911 so another ambulance could be dispatched. It arrived within five to 10 minutes and brought her mother inside, she said.

No policy preventing staff from coming to aid

Norma Brown is now recovering from her heart attack at the hospital and may soon return home, but her daughter said she is coming forward because she wants to save others from the ordeal.

The hospital has launched an investigation into the incident, said Lynn Hall, the hospital's senior vice president of clinical services.

Hall was adamant that there was not any policy or practice preventing staff from helping patients get into the hospital.

Margaret Brown, however, insists more than one staff told her just the opposite.

"Even a medical doctor confirmed they are not supposed to go outside to help," she said.

The situation is similar to an incident at the Greater Niagara General Hospital last October.

In that case, Doreen Wallace broke her leg while inside the hospital and was told to phone for an ambulance.

A hospital surgeon treated her before the ambulance arrived. That incident prompted an apology and a review of hospital policy.

With files from the Canadian Press