SIOUX LOOKOUT – One of the biggest issues plaguing Northwestern Ontario is staff shortages. Anything from public service to private business has been affected leaving many to close down parts or all of their services for extensive amounts of time.
For health care, staff shortages can mean the difference between life and death. If the hospital needs to close because there is no staff to fill the void, patients will be turned away to seek help from the closest hospital available.
Living in Northwestern Ontario, that could mean a three or four-hour drive.
This is why Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre want to inform the public that their staff has been working with external support to find physician coverages to avert service disruptions and potential closures.
The impacts of staffing and physician shortages affected Northwestern Ontario in so many ways.
Short-term solutions have been applied at SLMHC by increasing physician coverage plans for locum doctors; however, with the increased incentive to lure doctors to the region, the problem remains, Emergency Department closures might still be in the future for Northwestern Ontario.
SLMHC is thankful for the support and collaboration of external partners, both locally and across the province, who have helped us keep our Emergency Department open up to this point.
“We’re thankful for the dedication of our staff and partners, who have worked hard to make sure we’ve had no closures to date. We remain focused on seeking long-term, sustainable solutions to ensure everyone in our service area has access to necessary healthcare resources,” says Douglas Semple, SLMHC President and CEO.
In the event of an emergency room closure, SLMHC will provide detailed information to their service population that will outline the length of the closure and how people can access crucial care services.
