Yukon woman says relative was discharged from Whitehorse hospital without plan, or shoes

There's more frustration about rural Yukoners being discharged from the Whitehorse hospital with nowhere to go — while Yukon's health minister acknowledges there are "gaps" in health care that need to be fixed. 

Francis Van Kessel of Whitehorse says she's furious about how a family member from Teslin was treated recently at the Whitehorse General Hospital when that relative was discharged at night without a plan — or even shoes.

Van Kessel said her family member was delivered to Whitehorse hospital by the RCMP, acting under the Mental Health Act. Whitehorse is about a two-hour drive from Teslin.  

"She was wearing her pyjamas, she was assessed by doctors, was released with no shoes on, no winter jacket and was told to find a place to stay…. She didn't have any ID or her wallet," Van Kessel told CBC News. 

Van Kessel spoke to CBC News after hearing about a man from Pelly Crossing, who said that after he was sent by medevac to Whitehorse last week, he had to beg to stay at the hospital after being medically discharged in the middle of the night with nowhere to go.

"It really hurts my heart that people are being treated like this," Van Kessel said. "There's no reason for it."   

In a statement to CBC News this week, a spokesperson for the Yukon Hospital Corporation said the hospital does not have a written policy about discharging inpatients at night, though that's typically avoided "unless absolutely necessary." Emergency department patients are discharged as soon as they've been cared for. 

Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said she was not aware of the details of what happened to Van Kessel's relative. However, she said her government knows it has to work with the hospital to address discharge policies. 

"We have spoken to them about that in the past, this is certainly a gap," McPhee said.

"I don't know as well if we have data on how many times something like this might be happening, but once is too many times."

The Yukon government has long committed to a recommendation in the 2020 health-care report "Putting People First," to create a residence for medical travelers in Whitehorse who are low-income, need an extended stay, are seniors, or who are not comfortable travelling outside of their home communities. 

Opposition parties continue to question why that has not happened.

A cabinet briefing note from last fall describes how the government was then considering short-term solutions, including "to explore opportunities with hotels that would meet the needs of Yukoners travelling for medical services," though that hasn't happened yet either.

The government also conducted a survey in August 2023, asking people who'd done medical travel about their accommodations, to "inform" the government on next steps. 

The minister said the government continues to work on improvements to the health care system.

"As issues arise and gaps are exposed, we are working to respond to those and make sure patients are at the center," said McPhee. 

But Van Kessel is not convinced there will be support anytime soon for rural Yukoners being discharged from the Whitehorse hospital. 

"It makes me so sad but it also makes me so angry about it because I hear it over and over again. This isn't the first time that this has happened. This has been going on for years and years and years," she said.

She also questions why the government paid for a survey last year that may just end up "on the shelf." 

"You could have took that money — because we already knew there was a problem — and put it in an account for ... people who need a room for the night before they can get back to their community, or money for gas to get back to their community," said Van Kessel.