THUNDER BAY - The leader of the opposition at Queen’s Park raised alarm bells about health-care vacancies in Thunder Bay, but officials with the regional hospital say there’s nothing out of the ordinary.
On Monday, Ontario PC leader, Patrick Brown, stated in question period that the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre had two radiologists retire and another leave the country, while also losing its only vascular surgeon.
“As this government vilifies doctors and cuts health care, an exodus is happening,” Brown said. “Northern Ontario can’t afford more cuts.”
But Dr. Stewart Kennedy, executive vice president of medicine and academics with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, said the picture painted by Brown is not quite so alarming.
“I’m not sure the point he was trying to make in the house,” Kennedy said. “But from my perspective, it’s important to get all the facts straight so we don’t go out there and create havoc with the patients.”
According to Kennedy, one radiologist will be leaving at the end of December to pursue other opportunities overseas and to be close to his family. Two other radiologists, who were employed by a private radiology firm and not the hospital, are retiring.
Kennedy added that in the same period, the hospital has gained 1.5 radiologists, which he said is positive in terms of recruitment efforts.
“As far as the vascular surgeon goes, we have lost one vascular surgeon as of Sept. 15 and he’s gone to pursue job opportunities out west and to be with his family,” Kennedy said. “So it’s not related to any type of shifting because of resources or shifting because of the current dispute with the ministry, it’s because he sought other job opportunities.”
Another vascular surgeon has been recruited and is expected to start Nov. 1. The hospital is looking to recruit a second vascular surgeon this spring, and Kennedy said ideally they would like to have three on staff.
“Right now we are short of vascular surgery, but this is a new program,” Kennedy said. “This program just started a year ago and we had our one vascular surgeon do a good job while he was here, but he sought other opportunities.”
Vascular surgeons handle most life-threatening and trauma cases involving severed arteries and veins. They also provide aneurysm repair and limb surgery for people with diabetes.
Kennedy said that despite the recent vacancy, the hospital is well positioned to provide appropriate care for patients requiring vascular surgery between now and Nov. 1.
“We haven’t had a full spectrum vascular surgery program for approximately five to six years, so we know how to cope and take care of our patients during that interim period,” Kennedy said. “That’s why we formed our partnership with the University of Health Network in Toronto because we have those gaps in service.”
The hospital is also part of the CritiCall Ontario that can get patients to the closest and most appropriate facility for vascular surgery in emergency situations.
Kennedy said the hospital is proud of its cardiovascular program and the vascular surgery component is one of two specialties needed to bring open heart surgery to Thunder Bay.
“The timeline is still on track,” he said. “The minister of health announced that about a year ago and 2020 is our guideline. We are still working on collaboration and partnership with the University Health Network team and we’re doing that together and we are still on track to have surgical patients come here by 2020.”
