A month after patients at B.C.'s Royal Columbian Hospital were wheeled into a Tim Hortons for treatment, there are new concerns about overcrowding at the hospital.
Beds are still in high demand at the New Westminster hospital, and nurses and doctors want the government to take action.
"Patients in the hallways, patients in the psych unit who are being admitted into conference rooms that have doors that can lock from the inside -- that's unsafe," nurse Diane Abu Salim told CTV News.
Korrie Sigmund's mother is currently being kept in a hallway.
"She was in emergency, but they needed the bed," Sigmund said. "It's kind of sad, but it's so crowded."
Dr. Sheldon Glazer, an emergency room physician, says the problem is systemic.
"The problem is there are not enough beds for inpatients who need to be in hospital and so they're overflowing into our emergency rooms," he said.
The BC Nurses Union says there are many patients who could be cared for outside of the hospital if they had the proper supports.
"They need to start putting more funding into primary care, community health centres, programs to keep patients at home. Patients would rather stay at home -- especially seniors," the union's Janice Buchanan said.
The Fraser Health Authority says it has been working to improve community services.
"I think those programs are making a significant difference with the changes that we've made, but of course, population being what it is and the needs being what they are, we can always use more of those types of services," said Vivian Giglio, the hospital's executive director.
Minister of Health Mike de Jong agrees that the system is under pressure.
"Literally billions of dollars are being invested, but the challenge of course is to balance our desire to continue building expanding with the ability of taxpayers to finance those projects," he said.
The nurses have requested a meeting with de Jong, but they say that hasn't happened yet.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber
