My Husband was asked if he wanted anyone called post operatively on 09 December 2015 after his knee arthroplasty at the Queensway Carleton Hospital. He specifically stated to both admission and pre-op staff the number they were to call when he was transferred to PACU. And the number was clearly written on his chart.

It takes only ten seconds for the surgeon to tell a resident or nurse to call the number on the patient’s chart and say, “he is out of surgery, in recovery and everything appears to have gone well.” How difficult is that? Apparently it is extremely difficult and beyond Queensway Carleton staff and surgeon Ritter’s capability. This was his OR. He was in charge. If he was “too busy” then he needed to delegate his communication responsibility to staff.

Were calls made to families of Dr. Ritter’s other three patients that day? If yes, then why not call Bob’s family? If no, then why ask patients for any contact number when there is no intent to contact anyone?

The automatic reflex to say “sorry’ is meaningless. Sorry sucks. It is just so much hot air between the teeth. The harm has been done.