PCH cancer patients must go to Charlottetown for treatment until July 10, says Health P.E.I.
CBC
Cancer patients who usually get treatment in Summerside will have to travel to P.E.I.'s capital over the next several days, while those who need a medical oncologist will need to go to Charlottetown until September.
The oncology department at Summerside's Prince County Hospital is short-staffed, said Health P.E.I., so patients receiving chemotherapy will be treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital from now until July 10.
The agency said no treatment schedules have been interrupted because of the shortage of employees.
Heather Mulligan, senior manager of advocacy for Atlantic Canada with the Canadian Cancer Society, said disruptions like this can cause an extra burden on patients and their families.
With lengthy travel to appointments becoming more common across the country, she said things like gas, food and sometimes overnight accommodations can add up.
"Any amount of travel puts a significant burden, not only on our patients, but [on] their loved ones, their caregivers who are accompanying them for their care," Mulligan said.
"Whether it be for a couple of days, couple of weeks, couple of months, [it] is quite a significant burden, not only in terms of the emotional toll that it takes on a patient, but also the financial impact that it has on a family."
Meanwhile, Health P.E.I. said patients who need to see a medical oncologist — a doctor who specializes in diagnosing cancer and prescribing treatments — will have to travel to the Charlottetown hospital until at least mid-September.
There are two-full time oncologists at the QEH, and only one working part-time at Prince County Hospital.
There will be periods of time when only one of those oncologists is available, so the service will have to be provided in Charlottetown.
"To support this temporary operational shift, some nursing staff from PCH will be reassigned to QEH. Reassignment of nursing staff is guided by the [P.E.I. Nurses Union] collective agreement, which includes provisions for travel pay and compensation," Health P.E.I. said in a statement.
"In mid-September, a third full-time medical oncologist will join the team at the QEH Cancer Treatment Centre, increasing the complement of specialists and enhancing service capacity."
The cancer society is calling on the P.E.I. government to offer a refundable tax credit for Islanders who are providing practical support to loved ones undergoing treatment.
Mulligan said a recent study the organization conducted in conjunction with Statistics Canada showed the average cancer patient and their family will shoulder more than $30,000 in out-of-pocket expenses over the course of their treatment.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.
Students at the University of Regina are days away from deciding whether a newly formed student association should become their official representative body.
All public schools on P.E.I. are closed Friday and thousands of Maritime Electric customers are without power as strong winds create hazardous travel conditions across the province.
Prince Rupert, B.C., residents are celebrating the holidays this year with coastal flair.
In the four years Chelsey Simmonds has worked at the Eva Rothwell Centre, she has seen the need increase every year at the centre’s community food pantry.
CBC is once again looking to make the holiday season kind in Windsor-Essex.
Acute Care Alberta has extended its contract for another year with a private surgical facility at the centre of probes into health procurement and contracting.
As food bank use continues to climb across the province, front-line workers in Thunder Bay, Ont., are working to improve both food security and education.
More ads could soon be coming to Toronto’s subway system.