Former P.G. Orthopedic Surgeon Part of St. Paul's Protest
By 250 News
Former Prince George Orthopedic Surgeon Gerard McKenzie, says eight of the Orthopedic surgeons at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, are going through the same thing Prince George went through several years ago. Dr McKenzie says “Prince George seems to catch a cold and it trickles down here some time later.”
The surgeons had withdrawn services, and the hospital is said to have responded by suspending the admitting privileges.
The eight Orthopedic Surgeons are seeking more operating room time. According to McKenzie, the average time that an Orthopedic Surgeon gets at St. Paul’s is ½ day a week in the operating room, that works out to 1 day a week in elective surgery and it simply is not enough operating time. The eight say either the hospital makes a change, or they will be forced to take outside work, and perhaps leave the hospital.
The eight are identified as Dr. Simon Horlick, Dr. Murray Penner, Dr. Donald Werry, Dr. Thomas Goetz, Dr Donna Smith, Dr Kevin Wing, Dr Alistair Younger and Dr Gerard McKenzie.
“I don’t take any calls anymore at my age” says McKenzie, I do some Workmen’s Comp and other specialized private stuff but these young people are trying to make a living and they can’t on the amount of work that the hospital gives them.”
The is not the first time McKenzie has pressed for operating room time, he battled here in Prince George for more O.R. time, lost the fight and moved to the United States where he had a successful practice before returning to his B.C. roots and signing up with St. Paul’s Hospital. “The young guys want a change” says McKenzie, “You spend 11 years of your life trying to get here and you want more than a day a week in the OR especially when you’ve got a waiting list that runs all the way up your arm and is growing.”
He says it isn’t just about trying to make a living “Try and tell a patient that you can’t get to them to do an operation for the next nine months and see how they react. It’s the same as it was in Prince George when I left”
It was the departure of McKenzie which sparked an orthopedic surgeon crisis for PGRH, but McKenzie, who was born in P.G. says he would have come back in a heartbeat had he been able to get enough operating room time “My wife Susan and I still miss the place.”
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Posted by: snappi on July 25 2007 2:56 PM
If he gets behind an issue such as this, you can be assured that it is a legitimate issue, and if he says it is not about income, I for one, believe him. Prince George lost a great Orthopaedic surgeon when the fumbling hands of government ignored his requests and allowed him to leave not only P.G. but the country.
I can only hope that the nabobs pay attention to these Docs, and do the right thing. Waiting lists are too long, unless you are a politician or a "celebrity" or related to some other "important" person.
metalman.