The entire group of seven obstetrician gynecologists at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) have handed in their resignation with a letter saying they see “no way forward with in-hospital care.”
The news broke on Tuesday with Kamloops MLAs sounding the alarm on the group's resignation.
The group of doctors, which includes Dr. Hilary Baikie, Dr. Jennifer Kozic, Dr. Paula Lott, Dr. Erin Adams, Dr. Michael Hsiao, Dr. Rita Chung and Dr. Christine Sutton, cited unsafe workloads, chronic staff shortages and a lack of support from the government.
“It is fairly unprecedented for an entire group of physicians to depart, but with the state of obstetrics in our community and with the upcoming loss of the (Thompson Region Family Obstetrics) group, we see no viable way forward,” the letter said.
“Hopefully, the near total loss of low and high risk obstetrics in Kamloops will galvanize IHA and the province to support the health of women in our community the way they deserve.”
The letter indicated that some doctors will continue in-office, outpatient gynecology work but it is not yet known what that will look like.
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Mark Masterson, vice president of medicine for Interior Health (IH), told NowMedia that although this is a “disappointing” turn of events, patients will still be receiving the care they need at RIH.
Masterson said RIH’s maternity unit is still open and still has coverage.
He said work is underway to support the obstetricians in their transition planning, bringing in locums and working with provincial partners to see what other supports can be brought in.
He also said IH has “ramped up” its recruitment efforts, which has been ongoing over the last few months given previous challenges at RIH.
In July, IH advised the public about “potential changes to maternity services” at RIH. By September, IH announced the TRFO would be halting new referrals.
“We've brought in a quite competitive compensation offer in partnership with the Ministry of Health (to) make the site an enticing place for recruitment,” Masterson said
“We'll be reaching out to candidates who have previously expressed interest in the area to expedite their recruitment to the site. We're continuing to work on the operational supports.”
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Masterson there is no concrete timeline but the transition to new obstetricians will take place over time and will involve a staggered withdrawal of former doctors.
“Physicians have requirements, we have obligations to the patients that we've already accepted referrals for and already seen to provide ongoing continuity of care and before we leave practice to hand that care over to another provider,” he explained.
Masterson explained that there is a shortage provincially and nationally for doctors who provide women’s health.
“This is not a unique problem here,” he explained.
Kelowna General Hospital’s pediatric ward was hit with a weeks-long closure this summer and did not fully reopen until mid-August.
Shortly after that, nine members of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at KGH released a statement to share “urgent concerns about a growing crisis in maternity care in the Central Okanagan.”
“I'm disappointed that we've gotten to this position,” Masterson said.
“I can understand the frustrations of the obstetrical providers and they have been working hard for a long time and doing a lot to support their area to support the Thompson region and other areas in the Health authority, in fact.”
During a media scrum held Wednesday afternoon, Josie Osborne, minister of health, said the ministry wants to ensure people have access to care, which is a key goal of the government.
“It is very stressful for people, for expecting families and the community as a whole,” she said.
“We have been working with IH and together we're making every effort to recruit and train new doctors. IH has identified a dozen candidates.”
She called the doctor’s concerns very upsetting but said they were being taken “very seriously.”
Osborne said the province will continue their short-term efforts, which includes more recruitment and a new hiring framework, as well as long-term efforts like the new medical school at SFU.
Osborne said she wanted to ensure families and expecting parents in Kamloops that they will continue to have access to care, pointing to the staggered replacement of the OB-GYNs.
Osborne said the province can’t go into detail about compensation under the new contract but said it is about more than money.
“It is so important that the services stay there… This is about building out that resilient healthcare system we need,” Osborne. “We are going to do everything we can to support IH and listen to physicians about what they need.”
Peter Milobar, Kamloops Centre MLA, called the situation “shocking” and “unnerving.”
He told NowMedia the OB-GYNs have been trying for years to engage with the Health Minister and Interior Health to find actual solutions to recruitment, pay and workplace issues.
“They've been rebuffed at every opportunity,” he said. “It's not from lack of attempts by them.”
Milobar reiterated his calls from July that the Ministry of Health must provide a plan on what the Kamloops area can expect, when it is going to be implemented and what it is going to do for long-term stability or maternity and OB-GYN services.
“We have a healthcare system that's in crisis and it's getting worse,” he said. “We're hearing this from specialty after specialty. This may be the first, I hope it's the last, but I'm not confident of that frankly.”
