An elderly couple in the Montreal area complained about the healthcare system in Quebec after an experience that left them feeling upset and disrespected.

The couple reported that they waited for hours at the hospital, despite the departure of the doctor they were waiting for.

Karen Williams, who is 72 years old, said, “I find it unprofessional.”

Karen and her husband Brian Williams explained that their negative experience with the healthcare system began on March 29 when Brian woke up in the middle of the night.

Brian, who is 75 years old, said: "I was having difficulty breathing, so we called 911."

The couple rushed to Saint-Eustache Hospital, where X-rays revealed that his stomach was pressing against his lungs.

The hospital referred them to a pulmonary specialist at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Montreal, and an appointment was scheduled for April 9.

They arrived an hour early to ensure they had enough time to park, and they confirmed that many staff members were rude and unhelpful while trying to find their way around.

Karen added: "It took an hour, three different floors, and five different people to figure out which clinic I should be in and which doctor I should see."

However, they arrived at 12:45 PM, even though the appointment was at 12:15 PM.

She continued, “By 2:15 PM, no one had said a word, and the other patients who were there before us had not been called."

So Karen decided to ask how long it might take.

She said: “The polite answer I got was that the doctor had been called to an emergency, and we don’t know how long it will take.”

The Williams family understands that emergencies take priority, but what they don't understand is why no one informed them that the doctor was not there, and why there was no timeline for his return.

Karen explained, feeling that she should have been given the opportunity to reschedule: “It is impossible for people to sit there for two or three hours without being notified of the situation.”

Patient rights advocate Paul Brunet said he hears similar stories often, and such events provoke ridicule toward the healthcare system.

Karen Williams confirmed that she filed a complaint, noting that this is not her first frustration with the healthcare system.

She explained: “I waited two years for a surgery for a brain aneurysm.”

After consulting with her family doctor, they discovered that Brian has a hiatal hernia.

The doctor helped him get an appointment at the McGill University Health Centre, where they hope to find out how to treat it.