Stuart Lake ER Closed for Rest of Month
Wednesday, June 6, 2012 @ 2:25 PM
Fort St. James, B.C.- Once again, the inability to find Doctors to work in the emergency room at the Stuart Lake Hospital in Fort St. James will lead to the ER closure.
The emergency room in Fort St. James will be closed for the rest of the month of June. Northern Health says it will provide an update should that situation change.
Northern Health has secured additional coverage with a Nurse Practitioner working Fridays through the month of June alternating between the Fort St. James Medical Clinic and the Nak’Azdli Health Centre.
The Fort St. James Medical Clinic remains open during the following hours:
Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
o Closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Appointments can be booked by calling 250-996-8291.
o Only same day appointments will be booked.
Prescription refills are available on Wednesday’s from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at:
o The Fort St. James Medical Clinico Lakeside Pharmacy
The Stuart Lake Hospital emergency room is the only department affected by the closure. The rest of the hospital will remain open and patients will not be impacted. Lab and X-ray at Stuart Lake Hospital are still operating as normal.
If necessary, acute care patients will be discharged or transferred to another facility based on their care needs. Northern Health is also working with the BC Ambulance Service to manage emergencies during these periods.
Individuals who require emergency attention can call 9-1-1 for transport to the next open emergency department in Vanderhoof or Prince George, or can seek private transportation. Northern Health reminds patients that once they have been discharged from an emergency department, they are on their own when it comes to finding a way to get back to their home community.
Comments
Not to worry. They’re building a new posh hospital in Burns Lake. I don’t know if Northern Health is going to provide a new “health bus” to take patients anywhere but there. Should be interesting. Get NDP promises in writing. Get them notarized, then start the war on Dippers just like we did with the Lieberals. Nothing will change. No doctors up north. No money to change anything in the health care business. And on and on. Best to be a bus salesman in these parts.
Hey Harb, I think if they booted a couple or redundant management positions from the Health board, they would probably pay the wages of a doctor or two who would work there. Too bad they can’t run as a private business, they’d show a profit and have the doctors to boot.
No shortage of dentists, veterinarians. They take cash, Visa and even a cheque. You can even get a “medical plan” fer yer pooch. This country needs a whole new mindset. But it ain’t gonna happen. Why? Just put it down to “fear and greed”. Make a memo about those two words. Fear and greed. They make the world go around.
Why exactly can’t they find doctors to work in the emergency room?
Money is not an issue. For the most part, doctors don’t want to work in remote locations.
Doctors can work anywhere. They are in demand worldwide. Few choose to work in the rural settings. If you could live in Penticton, would you live in Ft. St. James? If you could work in Victoria, would you work in Ft. St. John? If they have families, what would be the best setting for their family? Burns Lake? That is why there is a Dr. shortage in rural communities. IMO, a new building will not fix it.
JohnnyBelt wrote: “Money is not an issue. For the most part, doctors don’t want to work in remote locations.”
Exactly! As I understand, one doctor left there a few months ago and has not been replaced yet due to lack of interest. So, guess there is no relief during vacation time.
http://careers.northernhealth.ca/ForPhysicians/PracticeOpportunities.aspx
Fort St. James requires 4 family practice physicians …..
Should have got John Rustads campaign promise he made in the Scout hall during the 2009 election in writing. Which was his number 1 priority if re-elected was to build a new hospital in Fort St James. Seems that Mr Rustad learned quite alot about telling lies to BC voters from his leader and idol Gordon Campbell.
If you pay a doctor enough money he/she will work there. So it is about money.
Try it …..
I don’t buy your argument Ruez. If X amount of dollars will be paid to a doc to bring them north, that same amount will be offered to them no matter where they practice. This is about more than money. It has to do with lifestyle for the doc and his/her family. And might I suggest the number of doctors who would rather practice in a city, with all of its city ammentities, greatly outweighs the number who would prefer to live in a rural area. I think the lack of doctors in Ft St James, Mackenzie, Burns Lake and on and on is proof of this.
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