Staff sick days causing B.C. ER closures during heat wave: health minister
B.C.'s health minister said multiple emergency room closures in the Interior this past weekend were unavoidable due to an above-average number of health-care workers calling in sick.
Multi-day closures in Merritt and Williams Lake occurred as the province was being hit by a heat wave that sent temperatures soaring. Environment Canada issued dozens of heat warnings, saying conditions pose "a moderate risk to public health."
Adrian Dix, asked about these closures, said the province has a number of measures in place to prevent them including incentives to fill shifts and locum programs – but those systems aren’t nimble enough to respond to a surge in last-minute sick calls.
"We don't believe diversions are a good thing. We're doing everything we can to avoid them," he said.
"When there's a late sick call – and that's not a criticism of anyone for calling in sick, when you're sick you're supposed to call in sick – it creates real challenges in the system."
In recent weeks, Dix said there have been an average of 20,000 workers out sick, a number he said is high enough that it "presents problems." While he did not say how that number compares to recent averages, he did note that absences averaged about 9,000 per week pre-pandemic.
Interior Health, in a statement, told CTV News an emergency room is only closed when every other option is exhausted.
"There are times when other factors limit our ability to cover some shifts – unplanned leaves or short-notice sick calls," a spokesperson wrote in an email.
When the emergency room in Merritt is closed, patients are told to go to Kamloops' Royal Inland Hospital, which is about an hour away by car. In Williams Lake, patients are told to go to an ER in one of three other communities – all of which are more than an hour away if driving.
Patients are also urged to call 911 in the case of a "life-threatening emergency" so they can be transported by ambulance to the "nearest available and appropriate facility."
Dix acknowledged that ambulance response times have been a problem in rural communities but said there have been improvements on that front, in part due to a change to the paramedic staffing model.
Still, Dix said, he understands the frustration and alarm among patients, residents, and local politicians.
"I know that it absolutely is fundamental to confidence in the community that the emergency room be open," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard found not guilty of sexual assault
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
Missing B.C. climber died from fall on Mount Baker, medical examiner says
The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.
Following child's death in Ontario, here's what you need to know about rabies and bats
An Ontario child died last month after coming into contact with a rabid bat in their bedroom, which was the first known human rabies case in Canada since 2019.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Anne Hathaway confirms 'Princess Diaries 3': 'Miracles happen'
You might be thinking, 'Shut up!' but it’s officially true: the 'Princess Diaries' franchise is finally growing.
Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
Sask. man pleads guilty in U.S. after unknowingly providing videos of men raping toddlers to FBI agent
A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.