Specific site solution

Could a Prince Edward Island move be a precursor to how emergency rooms in the region could operate in the future?

The Land of Anne, like much of rural Nova Scotia, has been facing the problem of an increasing frequency of emergency room closures due to doctor shortages. On the Island, it has been particularly difficult for a rural hospital in the eastern part of the province.

Last week, the Island government announced it would immediately recruit two doctors whose sole responsibility will be to staff the emergency room of that specific hospital. With minor adjustments to the operating hours of the emergency room and an adjacent medical clinic, the problem of closures should be resolved.

P.E.I., like Nova Scotia as I understand, has been using a model of recruiting set numbers of family practitioners for an area served by a hospital with those doctors expected to cover the emergency room on a rotating basis. At this particular hospital, it meant shifts of 14 hours coverage. Many doctors however were not willing to take on these responsibilities.

The site specific doctors hired will have the specialized training to work an emergency room that many general practitioners do not. They will have their specific shifts and not face the off-time call-ins many doctors covering ERs now endure.

By freeing up the family practitioners to focus more on their practices, it is hoped they may be able to handle more of the non-emergency cases which are now presenting at the hospital.

Island officials are confident the new system will eliminate the multiple closures and will help provide more effective primary care for area residents. Clearly this is something that should be seriously looked at in our area as we are constantly facing ER closures in our hospitals.  

Frank Likely is a retired Anglican minister and past president of the Springhill and Area Chamber of Commerce.