In response to physicians in Kelowna who sounded the alarm on an unfolding "paediatric care crisis" and "unsafe" maternity and gynecological supports at the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), Interior Health is explaining its next steps and plan forward.
Due to staff shortages that began on May 26, Kelowna's only hospital closed its paediatric unit for an expected period of six weeks. Concurrently, there are staff shortages on the maternity ward and KGH obstetricians say they will be stretched beyond their capabilities to care for all high risk deliveries, patients in labour who do not have a primary care provider, and those who present to the emergency department with gynecological or maternity concerns.
In an interview with Black Press on June 5, Susan Brown, the president and CEO of Interior Health, said that a new plan 香蕉视频直播� complete with novel proposals 香蕉视频直播� had just been submitted to the Ministry of Health earlier in the day.
"We had already started that work but have obviously fast tracked it in the light of what we're seeing now," said Brown.
Specifically, the proposal to the Ministry of Health requests that additional resources be brought to KGH including; the hiring of a pharmacist that is dedicated to the pediatric population and the hiring of a neonatologist to care for sick newborn babies.
Additionally, a new position has been created at KGH to support the emergency department in managing the increased paediatric case-load and coordinate patient transports. Brown said they are now looking to hire emergency doctors and paediatricians to fill the 24/7.
Since the paediatric ward is closed, all children who require admission to the hospital for continued care must be transferred to another hospital.
In the eleven days since the closure, seven children have been transported from KGH to other hospitals, such as Penticton, Vernon and Kamloops, said Brown.
"As a parent, I know how anxiety provoking it is to have a a sick child, and I want to assure people that if they need emergency services at the hospital for their child, they should go, and we have taken steps to try and support the emergency department with additional resources," said Brown.
The B.C. Nurses Union wrote a public letter to media outlets on the closure of the KGH paediatric ward.
"While Interior Health frames this as a six-week interruption, those of us on the front lines know the consequences are immediate and dangerous," wrote the union.
"Nurses are now responsible for managing acutely ill pediatric patients in an already strained emergency department setting that is not designed for ongoing pediatric inpatient care."
Brown said that to assist the emergency department, nurses who previously worked on the paediactric unit will be temporarily deployed to the ER to support and assist with the care of children.
"The resources that they have been asking for is because the population is growing, and of course that brings more children and potentially more acuity," said Brown.
Concerns regarding resources and supports available to paediatricians in Kelowna is not a new issue, said Brown. She said in 2023, a consultant was last brought in to assist the health region and paediatricians identify issues and implement changes. Since then, the population of Kelowna has grown and KGH staff still feel that the resources available have not kept pace with the needs of the patient population.
Further, both Brown and the Ministry of Health have said the health region has bolstered its recruitment efforts across the country and internationally, in an effort to properly staff the paediatric unit and hospital.
"Normally it's the department that does their own recruitment," she explained. "Given that there's a lot of shortage of human resources and healthcare across the board, we have stood up the recruitment services within Interior Health... It's not only recruiting Canadian trained anymore, sometimes we're going international."
Three new paediatricians and three associate physicians have recently signed contracts with the hospital, with one starting as early as July.
At present, there are approximately 20 paediatricians living in Kelowna, who have chosen to work in other hospitals and in clinics, rather than at KGH.
Kelowna Emergency Room physician Dr. Hannah Duyvewaardt has pushed back against the health region's characterization of the "paediatric care crisis" as a staff shortage, stating that it is not simply a recruitment issue.
She said that for years, she has listened as her paediatrician colleagues have asked for more supports in the hospital. Dr. Duyvewaardt said she has watched the hospital's sole on-call paediatrician decide which emergent pager call to attend to first, knowing that their decision will likely have negative impacts on the other child.
"We're having a doctor shortage because [paediatricians] are worried about putting their moral and professional integrity at risk, as well as patient safety," said Dr. Duyvewaardt in an interview after the paediatric ward closure was announced.
She said that one of the factors that may have influenced the decision of dozens of Kelowna-based paediatricians to not to work at KGH is because they feel it is an unsafe and unfair work environment.
Brown said she is aware of the frustrations that has been voiced by the paediatricians. When asked about retention of the new hires, said that IH hopes that having more child-specific staff and specialists working in the hospital will alleviate the strain on paediatricians.
While paediatricians in Kelowna have not spoken publicly on the care crisis, their colleagues in other departments and nurses 香蕉视频直播� who are now experiencing the brunt of the crisis 香蕉视频直播� have been vocal in their concerns.
"Our health-care system is under unsustainable pressure," said the B.C. Nurses Union in a June 6, letter about the KGH pediatric unit closure.
"Nurses are now responsible for managing acutely ill pediatric patients in an already strained emergency department setting that is not designed for ongoing pediatric inpatient care."
Brown said the creation of the new around-the clock position will hopefully alleviate the strain on the emergency department.
