Docs Say Northern Health Dropped Ball In Recruiting Anaesthetists

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 03:55 AM

Prince George – The Executive Director of The Northern Medical Society , Dr Bert Kelly says the manner in which the recruiting of new Doctors is taking place in this region is why Northern Health finds itself short of Doctors practising in the specialised areas .

"This is a local rather than a provincial problem" Dr Kelly says "As long as we (Northern Medical Society) had a person dedicated to recruiting doctors such as Anaesthetists to this region we were doing okay. As soon as Northern Health took over the recruitment of new doctors that is when the problem began." He says the last Anaesthesiologist who was in charge of recruiting new doctors did a very good job, but they didn’t last when Northern Health took over the job.

"The MLA’s in the region have done a good job of providing the funding for the region," adds Dr. Kelly, "We have got a cancer clinic, Northern Medical Program and other funding. This is strictly a local issue that does not have the qualified people it needs to do the job." Dr. Kelly says the Northern Medical Society had success because of its aproach "As long as there were physicians who know how to talk to prospective doctors, we were okay."

Northern Health's Manager of Communications, Steve Raper, says there are some short term staffing initatives underway. As for the recruitment efforts, Raper says Northern Health has two active postings for anaesthetists and recruitment efforts are being coordinated by one employee, and current efforts deploy " a broader net than has been used in the past."

Northern Health has recruited 57 physicians for the entire Northern region since 2006, last year Northern Health attracted 45 physicians to the entire north including the following physicians to Prince George :

8 - General Practice;

2 - Plastic Surgeon;

1 - Internal Medicine,

1 - Pediatrics,

1 - Psychiatry,

1 - Gastroenterology,

1- Radiology, and

1-Obstetrics/Gynecology

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Posted on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 03:55 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: RUEZ on April 29 2009 5:19 AM

I disagree that the MLA's have done a good job. I moved from Vernon BC which had three walk in clinics for a city of about 40k. PG has one after hours clinic. I cannot get a family doctor. The Liberals have ignored the North in all ways possible.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on April 29 2009 6:39 AM

Agreed RUEZ!

Posted by: doc on April 29 2009 6:50 AM

Maybe NHA can take over the ACS building and get some more administration in there. We obviously don't have enough administration to do the job!!

Posted by: metalman on April 29 2009 7:21 AM

Right on doc!
The NHA is so top heavy that they have forgotten there is something beneath them carrying the weight. What is the ratio of admin. to working people now? 1:1 is what I think, one admin person for every working person. No disrespect intended to any individual assistants to the assistants to the undersecretary to the junior deputy sub-assistant intended.
metalman.

Posted by: diplomat on April 29 2009 7:22 AM

"The MLA�s in the region have done a good job of providing the funding for the region," adds Dr. Kelly,..."

So says the expert.

The above statement is challenged by the remark: "The Liberals have ignored the North in all ways possible."

Obviously since both of these can not be right at the same time, one of them is wrong.

Posted by: RUEZ on April 29 2009 7:44 AM

Obviously I'm right. So much for the expert.

Posted by: Jayda on April 29 2009 8:12 AM

I agree with Ruez, its ridiculous. I've lived here 12 years, it took me 5 years to find a dr. The one I have now I'm not happy with if I call on monday I'm lucky if I can get in by the following monday.

Posted by: downnotout on April 29 2009 8:13 AM

agreed RUEZ

Posted by: Lamb on April 29 2009 8:51 AM

I have never been comfortable with Northern Health; my observation has been that it is a great Northern albatross that is not efficient. Too many administrators????

Posted by: REALIST on April 29 2009 9:09 AM

Don't forget that the health authorities real purpose was to put an insulating layer of beraucracy between health services and governments. That way when the Liberals underfunded healthcare, to make it appear unsustainable, the public would be directed to blame the authorities instead of the real causes. The posts above show just how successful the Lieberals have been at pulling the wool over the public's eyes. Yes the authorities are too top heavy, it serves to insulate the real problems from the eyes of the public. We are all sheep.

Posted by: hammmy on April 29 2009 9:42 AM

Too many administrators????

Too many Chief's and not enough Indians

Posted by: diplomat on April 29 2009 10:00 AM

Hmmm...thanks for explaining that the health authorities are actually unwittingly promoting a giant scam or conspiracy.

Posted by: Loki on April 29 2009 1:32 PM

unwittingly?
more like self preservation and job security.
The more problems that are apparent, the more administration and committees needed.

Posted by: metalman on April 29 2009 3:10 PM

Baaa, Baaaa, this black sheep agrees with REALIST, the health authority is insulation for the G-liberal-ls.

Posted by: Palopu on April 29 2009 8:29 PM

Of course the fact that most Doctors in BC would sooner be shot than come to Prince George to work has no bearing on the situation.

Also the fact that patients that take up to 80 percent of the Doctors time have little or nothing wrong with them. The other 20 percent are bona fide patients. Once you put in a free medical system, then you automatically set it up for abuses.

There has to be a balance between the number of patients and doctors. This can be reached by increasing the number of doctors, or decreasing the number of patients.

Whats the chance of all the hypochondriacs staying home and looking after themselves for a change???? Not good I suspect.

Has anyone ever noticed that Politicians, Professional Sports people, and the well to do, and well connected, never seem to have a problem with getting doctors, or surgeries.???

Posted by: NMG on April 29 2009 11:06 PM

Good points Palopu. It's easy to blame the government for a complex problem, but there are many reasons why this problem exists.

Case in point, when looking at the nursing shortage, has anyone ever questioned RNABC to see what impact going to a 4 year degree program to become a RN (instead of the 2 year diploma program that worked for years), has had on the number of people going into nursing?

What about the docs who prescribe people pill after pill when seeing patients who have nothing more than common colds?

What about the docs who act like they run the hospital when in reality they should be the ones being told how they will practice in the facility? Unless I am mistaken, the government administers health care in Canada, not private business people.

People could write a thesis on this subject and still not get to the bottom of it.

Posted by: Nowicki on April 29 2009 11:29 PM

There is no doubt that the population of Prince George is shrinking. If you are a doctor or even a barber in BC, would you choose a small town around Vancouver, Klowna or come to Prince George in the middle of no where?

The other aspect is the performance of Northern Health in attracting Doctors, nurses and technicians to the PG region.
I have lost faith in Northern Health. They are not doing a good job in advertising the available empty positions and fill those positions quickly when qualified people are refered to them or apply.

What are they waiting for? For a friend
or relative to apply for the positions
or grants? Same old story in this shrinking town.

Posted by: thedogs on April 30 2009 12:05 AM

i'd like to know just how much we have
"saved" since the creation of the health autorities and yes admin staff increased a lot but the hospital has no on site oh&s personel for the staff who work the front lines, nurses various support staff are being crushed by work loads, its not uncommon for housekeeping to work double shifts, over time is common, the admin dept of pgrh used to consist of a small section off the main floor do a count of just how many offices northern health has in a ratio to acute care beds.. dr's cant get o.r time the promise of 5,000 new extended care beds gone by the way side the staff here do the best they can with limited resources that drift down the chain

Posted by: taxinapothole on April 30 2009 2:22 AM

do any of you remember, when you went to the ER at the hospital, you had to have a five dollar bill in your pocket!! Yep, that was so. Today, they should make it a twenty, and all these snivels would go away. Abuse of ER rooms is unbelievable. I pick the abuse up in the middle of the night. They get a voucher for a free cab ride home!! That is right, a free ride home!! You didn't realize that did you??

And when I say home, I am referring to a homeless shelter for the most part, that we, the TAX PAYERS pay for!!

I remember way in the past, where I drove an uninsured car to the hospital, because I had no money!! I had a severe back spasm happening, and I couldn't walk! NOBODY gave me a free ride!! How things have changed.

Society today, needs to take a wake up pill!!