Greater Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Bill Bradley
Greater Sudbury doctors called off a day of protest they had planned for Monday.
“We had said that if no action was taken on the alternative level of care (ALC) crisis by Dec. 1, that doctors were prepared to withdraw their services,” said Dr. Peter Zalan, an intensive care doctor, at Sudbury Regional Hospital, Monday morning.
Doctors were poised to withdraw their services yesterday as a way of protesting the continuing lack of beds at the hospital, said Zalan, one of a number of spokespersons for the doctors.
Zalan said that new developments, including the funding of 24 interim beds at the hospital, and other measures such as the Timmins Wrap Around program which promotes enhanced home care, may give doctors the confidence to continue.
“Medical staff (were to meet) Monday night to hear presentations by hospital administration. They will then leave and medical staff will discuss further actions afterwards, if necessary. I can’t speak for what all doctors will do (if they are disappointed by what they hear), but I am hopeful any withdrawal of services will be avoided,” he said.
Local doctors are being prevented from performing surgeries and ensuring proper care for patients because of the continuing bed shortage at Sudbury Regional Hospital.
The situation is also costing doctors money, and may be especially hard on younger doctors, said Zalan, last week at city council. He made a presentation to city council Wednesday night on the problems facing doctors.
Zalan is a member of the physicians task force, formed in early November on behalf of the physicians of the Sudbury Regional Hospital.
“The number of ALC patients has been steadily increasing, from 49 in 2004/05 to 80 in 2007/08. We now have more than 100 ALC patients and recently peaked at 126,” said Zalan.
“We contemplate a future where surgical cancellations will be routine, a future where our regional programs will dwindle. We cannot perform open-heart, thoracic, vascular, hip and knee replacement, or neurosurgery without access to hospital beds,” he said.
“We cannot be a trauma centre or a critical care referral centre for the northeast’s most vulnerable patients without sufficient beds.”
Zalan recounted how emergency department patients were being placed on stretchers in TV rooms at St. Joseph’s Health Centre for as long as 36 hours because there was no other location to place them.
“Patients remained there with only a bell to ring for help — a bell that can be heard if a staff member happens to be nearby. It is very noisy with no privacy. The alternative was leaving them in our chaotic, overflowing emergency department. Our hospital faces bad choices all day long.”
Another concern Zalan has is that the community risks losing physicians.
“We risk losing physicians who provide highly specialized care to our community and region,” he said.
Emergency physicians have more than enough patients and are not impacted financially by having fewer surgeries. Zalan said they can still make a living from working out of their offices. However, younger doctors who come to the city, anxious to provide services, may leave.
“If you are a young surgeon coming here and you cannot operate, that may be a problem. Those who do not have a commitment to the city, may well go somewhere else where they can practise their skills.”
Zalan said that is a shame because hospital services here have progressed so much that most procedures can be done locally.
“It takes time to form a critical mass of physicians who can provide a service. In vascular surgery we used to have only one surgeon. If you are the only one, you get tired. You cannot be on call every night. You burn out. Now we have three. They form a great group. But what if one gets fed up and leaves? How can we attract more doctors if we have no place for them to operate.”
“We want to grow, especially now that we have a medical school. But this is all under threat if we cannot properly run the hospital.”
Zalan said doctors are so frustrated, they have taken to advocating for their patients themselves. Recent provincial announcements of 24 interim beds and the new Wrap Around Program that enhances home care have been appreciated, said Zalan.
