Bruce Tuchsen, an Edmonton man, is questioning Alberta's emergency response system after being advised to take a taxi to the hospital despite severe bleeding from a recent knee replacement surgery.
Tuchsen underwent knee replacement surgery on May 11. Last Friday, after returning home from visiting friends, he struck his knee against a nightstand, causing the surgical wound to burst open.
"Tons of blood. It was really horrific. The knee literally exploded," Tuchsen said.
His partner called 911 but was told the wait for an ambulance could be six hours, or about one hour for a non-emergent team. The other option offered was to take a taxi.
With heavy bleeding, Tuchsen wrapped the wound in towels and took a cab to the hospital.
"What would have happened if I bled out in the cab?" he said.
Once at the emergency department, Tuchsen bypassed triage and was seen immediately. He underwent surgery the following morning after doctors determined the incision had failed to heal properly, causing pressure to build until it ruptured. He said the injury and blood loss left him in shock.
Alberta has used alternative transportation, including taxis, for non-emergent cases since December 2022 to reduce pressure on ambulance services.
Dr. Raj Sherman, an emergency room physician in Edmonton, said situations like Tuchsen's are emergencies but not uncommon, pointing to overcrowded hospitals.
"As a result, your waiting room's packed with sick people whose care is delayed, and the whole EMS fleet ends up stuck in emergency, because they can't just put people on the floor and leave," Sherman said.
ALTA Paramedic Health said alternative transportation is only used when patients are assessed as low acuity, stable and not requiring paramedic care. The agency added that a shared response system launched in 2023 allows some 911 callers to be redirected to Health Link 811 for assessment.
In the most recent seven-day reporting period, more than 900 low-acuity events were assessed, with many directed to alternative care. Of 150 alternative transport outcomes, 65 involved taxi transportation.
Tuchsen said he considers himself fortunate he made it to hospital safely. "I don't really want to think about that. Because the fact I was losing so much blood … who knows."