Manitoba patient dies during interprovincial critical care flight

The organization that oversees health-care delivery in Manitoba is investigating a possible critical incident after a patient died aboard an out-of-province critical care flight on Monday.

The death followed a clinical incident during the flight, a spokesperson for Shared Health said in an email on Friday.

The spokesperson would not provide details about where the flight was going or why the patient was travelling outside Manitoba for care, citing the ongoing investigation and patient privacy laws.

Critical incidents are defined by the province as cases where people have suffered "serious and unintended harm" while getting health care.

The flight the patient died on was appropriately staffed by a Shared Health patient transport team, the spokesperson said.

Clinical staff are assigned according to each patient's needs by staff who have advanced critical care expertise. Staff can include physicians, nurses, advanced practice respiratory therapists and advanced care paramedics.

It would also be reviewed by clinical leadership before the flight takes off to ensure it's appropriate for the patient, the spokesperson said.

The vacancy rate among respiratory therapists for adult patient transport in Manitoba is about 22 per cent, the spokesperson said.

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