A patient in Canada has drawn attention to long emergency department waiting times after reporting that she waited more than 12 hours for treatment at a hospital in Nova Scotia.
Amanda Gushue, a 37-year-old resident of Cape Breton, visited the emergency department after experiencing severe abdominal pain. Her primary care physician suspected appendicitis and advised her to seek urgent evaluation at the hospital.
Gushue arrived at the emergency department where she first underwent triage, the process used by hospitals to assess the severity of patients’ conditions and determine treatment priority.
According to her account, the triage assessment lasted about two hours before she was directed to the waiting area.
After completing triage, Gushue was informed that the estimated waiting time to see a doctor could range from five to 15 hours.
She said the emergency department waiting room was crowded and most seats were occupied by other patients awaiting care. During the wait, she remained in the waiting area for roughly 10 to 12 hours before being evaluated by a physician. Talking with Fox News Digital, she said,
There were probably about 150 seats, and they were all full. This is what we deal with when we go to the hospital on a regular basis — you’re looking at spending a full day there.
Amanda Gushue
Her experience was later shared publicly and gained attention online.
Canada operates a tax-funded universal healthcare system, according to information provided on the government’s official website.
Residents who meet eligibility criteria in a province or territory can enroll in public health insurance programs, which allow them to receive medically necessary healthcare services without direct charges at the point of care.
I would rather pay for my healthcare at this point and get treated fairly.
Amanda Gushue
Doctors later confirmed that Gushue had appendicitis, a medical condition caused by inflammation of the appendix that often requires surgical removal.
She subsequently underwent surgery and has reported that she is recovering following the procedure.
Appendicitis is considered a medical emergency because delayed treatment can increase the risk of complications such as rupture of the appendix and infection in the abdominal cavity.
The incident comes as emergency departments across Canada continue to experience increasing patient demand.
Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicate that hospitals recorded more than 16 million unscheduled emergency department visits during 2024–2025, compared with about 15.5 million visits the previous year.1
Higher patient volumes can lead to longer waiting periods, particularly when hospitals operate with limited staff or bed capacity.
Reports of extended waiting times in emergency departments have emerged in several Canadian provinces in recent years.
Healthcare experts have linked these delays to factors such as increased patient demand, hospital capacity limits, and shortages of healthcare workers.
Gushue’s case has added to ongoing discussions about emergency department wait times and hospital resource pressures within Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system.
1. Canadian Institute for Health Information. Canadian Institute for Health Information. Accessed March 16, 2026. https://canadacommons.ca/orgs/canadian-institute-for-health-information/
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