Patients needing neurological care at Penticton Regional Hospital could face reduced access to specialist services after three neurologists resigned their hospital privileges.
The resignations come after Interior Health introduced a change last month requiring neurologists to provide on-call services across the entire health region, a move physicians say would significantly increase their workload without additional support in their communities.
“There’s always concerns whenever you lose doctors from any medical facility,” said Dr. Adam Thompson, president of Doctors of BC.
Thompson said the new on-call requirements could place additional pressure on neurologists who are already in short supply.
“It was to substantially increase their workload without additional support in their communities to do so,” he said. “There comes a tipping point where you cannot juggle all the balls of neurological cases at the same time.”
In an open letter signed by several hospital physician groups, doctors warned that the departures could have significant consequences for patients across the region.
“This represents a significant loss of local specialist capacity across our region and raises serious concerns about the future of neurological care for patients throughout the South Okanagan and beyond,” states the letter, which is signed off by, “your South Okanagan internists, family and emergency physicians and neurologists.
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The physicians warn the resignations could lead to reduced access to specialist care, longer wait times and more patients having to travel outside the South Okanagan to receive treatment.
The departures are the latest in a series of specialist resignations across the Interior in recent years.
Similar situations have involved pediatricians in Kelowna, psychiatrists in Vernon, and obstetricians and gynecologists in Kamloops.
Thompson said physicians in these situations have raised similar concerns about feeling their input is not being heard by health authorities.
“We’ve got this continual pattern where physicians are not being listened to, are not being validated in their concerns, and are not having their solutions incorporated into what is the solution that the health authority is pushing forward,” he said.
The latest resignations have local residents concerned.
“It’s extremely concerning. Where is our health-care system going?” said Kevin King, who lives in Summerland.
Others questioned the decision to expand the on-call requirements, saying communities are already struggling to retain doctors.
“I honestly think it’s just an Interior Health decision and I think it’s really bad one,” said Penticton resident Holly Walton.
Interior Health said it was unable to respond, citing restrictions on communications during the provincial election period, when communications are limited to critical health and public safety information.
Thompson said he is concerned the situation in Penticton could be a sign of similar challenges ahead for other specialties.
“We’re greatly concerned that this could be starting to come to other specialty groups, both in Interior and perhaps in other areas of the province,” he said.
The resignations at Penticton Regional Hospital are expected to take effect in November and December.
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