Doctor shortage in northwestern Ontario forces Red Lake hospital's ER to shut for 2nd time this year
CBC
The hospital in Red Lake in northwestern Ontario is closing its emergency room for the second time this year due to a doctor shortage that hospital leaders say is dire, and while some remote First Nations are experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases that's also straining staff.
Margaret Couchenar Memorial Hospital's ER will close for 12 hours, starting at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, said Meghan Gilbart, the hospital's chief nursing executive.
"Unfortunately, we are again in a position where we just don't have enough physician resources to stretch for that 12-hour period," Gilbart said. "And so, unfortunately, it will result in us having to close our emergency department for that time."
The hospital's ER also closed for 24 hours over a weekend in March.
Gilbart said the hospital has been working to address its physician shortage, which is a longstanding issue, hitting the region especially hard this spring. Hospital leaders across the region say the situation is dire and are looking for any physicians to come to northwestern Ontario.
Doctors and patients across Ontario describe record-setting bottlenecks in emergency rooms across the province, with staggering wait times and health-care staff burning out due to staff shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Prior to our closure in March, it wasn't something that was really well known," said Gilbart. "There has been a lot of efforts toward advocating for things like equitable funding, which considers the realities of northern travel.
"We know that travel right now is super challenging for many people."
The Red Lake hospital is also focused on recruiting more doctors, and working with regional and provincial health-care providers to bring in more locum (temporary) physicians. However, that's proved difficult.
Bringing in more nurse practitioners, or physician assistants, can also help with shortages, Gilbart said.
"I think more funding will always help, but it's not the one and sole answer to this problem, unfortunately. I think there is just a pervasive lack of physicians."
Gilbart said another issue is many staff physicians at the hospital are reaching the end of their careers, and not enough new physicians are coming to live and work in Red Lake to replace them.
Have you or someone close to you recently endured a long stay in an emergency room in northwestern Ontario? Email CBC News to tell us about your experience.
Some extra positions for Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) graduates have been created, but Gilbart said that's a long-term solution and still leaves short-term gaps that will need to be filled.